A Second Journey
by weixuan18
Summary: He has lived once already, with no regrets, and understood it was time to pass on. Yet, when the opportunity presents itself for him to embark on a new journey after two thousand years of sleep, there really wasn't any reason not to take it, right? There is only one condition, and that is for him to enjoy it to the fullest. Watch out world, guess who's back?
1. Prologue

_**A/N: Well, I'm back. For now, anyway. Sorry I keep bailing on you guys, but real life takes priority. I need to earn the bread to support myself before I can type up stories yeah? Though I guess I was just bored after a while, I don't know. Anyway, I've decided to come back with yet another new crossover, surprisingly Naruto and Sekirei. Granted, I won't say I know Sekirei as well as I do Naruto, I did watch the anime and read some of the manga. I'm a bit behind for all the manga tbh. **_

_**Anyway, this was inspired after reading a particular good fic in pokemaster12's "Ashikabi no Shinobi". After reading that, I went to filter for more of this type of crossover, and was quite sorely disappointed with the results, so I figured might as well write something to keep myself entertained, just like old times. **_

_**So here I am. Not sure if I'll still retain my writing skills, not that they were very good to begin with, but I'll try not to disappoint. As for people who want me to update my other fics, I can tell you that I will do it eventually, just let me adjust to having to work full-time plus fanfiction. **_

_**Without further ado, let's get this show started. =D**_

* * *

A Second Journey

Prologue

It was a relatively normal day, at least for most people in the world. In an area that would soon come to be known as "Japan" a thousand years later, a spaceship crashed right into the ocean next to it, eliciting multiple shockwaves as it thundered through the waves down into the sea.

If civilians that resided in that area, they merely shrugged it off as another one of those quakes that would come and go every so often. Had someone been staring out at the waves of blue that rushed the beaches, they would have seen a peculiar scene. Standing on the water around the scene of the crash were seven blond individuals, all bearing similar birthmarks on their cheeks, six strange whisker-like features to go along with their cerulean eyes.

"Right… what do you guys reckon?" The 'leader' of them spoke up in a pompous tone.

"Who cares, I want food! Let's get back to fishing!" The slightly plump blond replied.

"I can't believe I came out here with you guys… ah, those lovely ladies that are waiting for me!" He added in a swoon just for extra effect.

"Hey, hey, let's dive in and find out! Might even be treasure in them!" Drool trickled down his chin at the mention of possible treasure.

"Argh! Will you guys shut up! I swear I'm gonna kill you all one day!" A very angry individual.

"Awww, I want a thingy like that too!" Apparently, he was jealous of a hunk of metal.

"Tsk, so troublesome…" This one was the laziest of them all.

"Well, since this place is special to Boss, let's just dive in and do a quick search before reporting back to him." The 'leader' decided, easily ignoring all the other protests that arose.

It would be awhile before they stopped bickering and got to work, and it would be even later when they found that instead of treasure, this particular spaceship held one hundred and eight life forms within them.

As the seven blonds rushed off after making sure that the spaceship was safe and sound with no possibility of anyone discovering them for the time being, all they could think of as one was what Boss would say once they told him that aliens have invaded them.

**X – X**

It was now the year 2000, and the spaceship that had crashed over a thousand years ago was now known as Kamikura Island _(__神座島__)_. Unbeknownst to the rest of the world, a military war was occurring right on this piece of Earth. MBI, Mid Bio Informatics, what started to be a pharmaceutical company, has slowly begun to climb the ranks of society and had established itself as one of the most powerful conglomerates in modern society. Granted, compared to other major corporations that resided in other parts of the world, such as the famous Trinity Inc, it was still lacking in terms of wealth and social status, but it was definitely building itself into an empire, and naturally, certain countries simply could not allow that to happen, especially when such an organization belonged to a single person only.

It was well-known that the only reason MBI was so successful was because of the technology it brought to the plate, or rather, the 'super-technology'. It was uncanny how medical breakthroughs were made with a snap of fingers, and inventions that shouldn't belong to this age were being produced by the minute. After much research, it was found that Kamikura Island, where MBI headquarters was based on for the moment, had a spaceship on it, one that recently rose to surface in the year 1999.

Minaka Hiroto, a mere University researcher at that point, had somehow stumbled upon that spaceship and rumours had it that there were aliens onboard it, holding information to technology far surpassing that of the current age. A surprising thing to note was that when the so-called 'technology' of the aliens did come out, they somewhat resembled what one of the major powerhouses of the economy, "Trinity Inc" already released. The only difference was that Trinity Inc had been around for as long as anyone could remember and MBI just grew overnight. No one thought that there could be some linkage between the two because frankly, that would be too much of a coincidence. Trinity Inc not only covered the medical and pharmaceutical side of things, but everything else that went on in the world as well. If you could think of any service, anything for sale, any person to hire, Trinity Inc would be your first and foremost choice. Nowadays, it was an absolute honour to be hired by Trinity Inc and since its headquarters were located in the United States, it was natural that its profits would be very well protected.

This was part of the reason why the rising of MBI angered some of the countries surrounding it, because they felt that MBI was attempting to usurp the power that Trinity Inc currently had and they would do everything they could to help protect their profits by showing Trinity Inc a sign of goodwill. That sign was the destruction of MBI.

No one knew who the CEO of Trinity Inc was; ever since the corporate first assembled hundreds of years ago, the highest ranking official of the company to ever face the public had been the executive vice-president. While it was repeatedly proclaimed that Trinity Inc was a family business and wanted a bit of privacy because of that, no one actually believed it for the simple fact that there was _never_ news of the CEO getting married. Surely someone would have noticed a new female wandering around the headquarters if that was the case? Another surprising fact was that the employees didn't seem to be as curious. People thought they were threatened or brainwashed or something, they came up with multiple explanations as to why they didn't want to know who their boss was, but to no avail. All they could get out of them was that Trinity Inc was the best place to work at in the world and they wouldn't give that opportunity to anyone else.

The board of trustees was governed by seven individuals, and again, the matter of secrecy kicked in, so no one actually knew who they were. It was really impressive that the corporation was able to keep it a secret for so many years in the first place, but after a while, people didn't care anymore, for the simple fact that Trinity Inc's services were top-notch, efficient and affordable.

Before anyone knew it, Trinity Inc had branches all over the world, greatly increasing the profit brought to the developing countries in particular and was widely accepted by the crowd. All other companies that had wanted to sabotage Trinity Inc had been cut down without mercy, and right now, for countries that have yet to get on Trinity Inc's good side, they have decided to take action. An alliance was formed where they would destroy MBI and show Trinity Inc how serious they were in protecting its interests, hoping that would be enough to have a branch set up in their country.

"Ready! FIRE!" At the command of the general, military arms rained down on the spaceship without mercy. Their orders were absolute: _Leave none alive_.

At first it seemed like everything was working really well, and that the alliance had the upper hand. Soldiers had confident smiles on their faces as they charged right into the enemy base, ready to conquer any that stood in their way. What awaited them however, would be quite a cruel fate. Not that the higher-ups would care.

Pawns were meant to be sacrificed after all.

**X – X **

In but a few hours, the troops were decimated. What amounted to thousands was now reduced to hundreds, and even that was diminishing at an alarming rate. Veteran generals, renowned through the world for their military expertise were at a loss for words, fear gripping their throats denying them any ability to speak.

This was a massacre.

Blood and gore at its finest. Who would have thought blades would be enough to slice through the storm of bullets that were sent their way?

How many enemies were there? _Five_.

How many casualties have they had so far? _Five thousand._

That ratio was quite unpleasant, further proven by the growing shade of green that now resided on the commander's face. It didn't take long for his satellite phone to ring.

"M-Mr. President, I can explain!"

"I do not want to hear a word from you! This was supposed to be a simple matter! What are you morons doing out there?! Eliminate the threat and return!"

"Please wait! There's no way we can defeat them! They're far stronger, faster and tougher than normal humans!"

"Commander, need I remind you, there's only five of them?! Get your act together and destroy them _now_! Failure will not be accepted. I'm sure you know of the consequences?"

"I-I… yes, sir."

"Good, now do what I sent you to do."

"Understood… sir."

"_Beep… beep… beep._"

Taking in a deep breath, the commander tried to steady his voice as he roared to his subordinates, "Get me reinforcements! We'll ready one final assault and run them to the ground with numbers! We _must_ defeat them at all costs! Bring out every single piece of artillery we have!"

"Sir, yes sir!"

Despite the energetic reply from them, the commander couldn't help but feel sweat trickle down his neck. He had just taken another look at the screen showing the centre of the battles taking place.

Their eyes were devoid of emotion as they cut down enemy after enemy, taking life after life without the slightest of hesitation. Only four of them were doing the killing, the redhead was manning a special laptop that was disrupting every single electronic device within a five kilometer radius. If not for the efforts of the _entire_ national military IT squad, even the command centre would be rendered useless by now. Even now, it took the brains of one hundred and thirteen individuals to barely match what the redhead was accomplishing.

The other four were all dressed in a special black uniform design, never before seen by any army in the world. The white cape billowed behind them from the gusts of winds generated from their devastating attacks. Never before would the commander have believed that one punch to the ground was enough to create a crater the size of a tennis court. He was now introduced to the harsh reality before him, where his soldiers were slaughtered like ants.

As much as he would like to order a retreat, he knew there was no such option. He could only go forth, telling himself to ignore the fact that those black garbs felt like the calling of the death gods.

**X – X**

"Well, that's the last of them." Matsu gave a happy sigh as she closed the cover of her laptop. It had taken her quite a bit of effort to finally shut down those annoying pests. Didn't they know that she was the smartest living thing on this planet?

In any case, they certainly did now. Those crappy machines they dare call computers won't be of any use for the next twenty four hours. Waving towards the other four members of the Disciplinary Squad, the redhead grinned widely, "Oooooooi! Minna! _(Everyone!)_"

"Stop your hollering, Matsu!" No.5 Mutsu grumbled as he sliced and diced through yet another wave of reinforcements. Seriously, what would it take for these people to get the idea that they couldn't win?

"Haha! Well, you can't blame her, she's clearly satisfied with the result of that little IQ battle she just had." No.3 Kazehana chuckled lightly as she send blasts of wind through an entire squad of soldiers, "Although I think the same can be said for Karasuba."

As expected, the most bloodthirsty of them all, No. 4 Karasuba had a lop-sided smirk on her face, her eyes slightly crazed as she continued to cut down anyone and anything before her. She didn't even bother replying to Kazehana's comment seeing how watching these worms squirm as their body parts flew all over the place was extremely entertaining.

"Mo, Miya-tan! She's going overboard again!" Matsu grumbled as she adjusted her glasses. Why was she the only one that needed glasses anyway?! Stupid, insane researchers that liked to toy with their bodies for experiments…

An elegant figure with violet hair slanted her a glance, before sending a shockwave through her blade to negate the missiles sent their way, "I do not see what the problem is. As long as these _humans_ are defeated, our objective will be accomplished. A little pain should help them learn the lesson."

She was completely unruffled by the chaos around her, her alluring figure coupled with that porcelain skin only served to make her an eerie sight on a battlefield of blood and death. Who would have guessed that this slim body would hold such power?

"M-m-mo – " A soldier that had just fell to the ground before her due to the explosion of the missiles, mumbled as he struggled to inch as far away as he could from the five individuals.

In a flash, Karasuba was onto him, stabbing her nodaichi into his thigh without mercy, effectively pinning him to the ground as he screamed out in pain, "What was that? I can't hear you?"

"Y-you m-mons-sters!" His lip was quivering as he spoke, his voice strangled by the fear that clutched at his heart. This, this _thing_ before him was staring at him with those demented grey eyes, as though wanting to suck his entire soul out so that she could torture him completely.

Never mind the fact that she wore an outfit that emphasized her already appealing figure, what with the tight leather top, the mini-skirt and stockings that only served to accentuate her enticing bosom and those long, shapely legs. Watching her lick the blood of her nodaichi after she forcefully removed the blade from his body was more than enough for him to temporarily forget the flash of pain that flared from his wound. His soul refused to react to anything else but this _monster_ that stood before him, rooted to the ground with dread as his mind yelled in anxiety for him to do something, _anything_ to get away from the destiny that awaited him. Alas, it was not to be as his eyes flew wide open in disbelief that he had become a dead man just like that. There really wasn't much to think when one's head had left his shoulders.

A small chuckle was heard, before full-blown laughter erupted from the crazed swordswoman, "That's right. That's the look of despair I'm looking for! More, show me more!"

"Miya-tan, she's cackling now. Shouldn't you do something about it?" Came the nonplussed voice of Matsu.

"I don't think she cares to be really honest with you." Mutsu deadpanned as he moved towards the group, "She _is_ kinda mad that these people tried to kill the other embryos."

"Maa, maa, no need to worry. Miya knows when she needs to take action. Besides, even I'm a little annoyed that these barbarians would try this on us."

Needless to say, the bloodshed continued for quite some time, before finally, the forces that were sent to Kamikura Island were decimated. The commander could hardly believe his eyes at the helplessness of the situation. 'Massacre' didn't even begin to describe what had happened to them. While it was true that these troops of his have yet to be in a real war situation, and this was perhaps the first time that they actually had to act to kill, so some warm-up jitters were to be allowed. Never would he have imagined that these 'jitters' would continue the rest of the way.

Some of his men didn't even know what hit them before they were blown to bits. Chunks of meat splattered over their comrades, eliciting shrieks and gasps that should normally be reserved for kindergardens. Alas, he couldn't blame them, he would have wet his pants too had he been at the frontline with them. Even with his experience, he didn't see himself holding out much longer than the elite of his army. One just could not overcome such a difference in power.

Now here he was, gritting his teeth in resignation, holding his head high, knowing that he would soon be saying goodbye to this lovely world… oh who was he kidding, this world sucked and if he ever had a choice, he would have pulled a retreat order, and said "Screw you!" to his superior. Nonetheless, there really wasn't time for regret as he did indeed say goodbye. Quite brutally too, what with the limbs flying first, then the head and last of all, a man's most precious organ. Considering how it was Karasuba who did that, the other four of the Disciplinary Squad weren't too surprised. She always had a mean streak in her, though they were somewhat curious as to why she would do that to the commander only.

No. 4 simply smirked, before pointing towards one of those remaining helicopters desperately trying to escape, "They've got cameras on those things. Surely their superiors would have gotten the message."

Matsu squinted her eyes as she adjusted her glasses, gaining a mysterious look as she stared right back at Karasuba, "You're just disgusted that the guy wet his pants, aren't you?"

An awkward silence settled in as Kazehana struggled to hold in her laughter, what with her cheeks pouting and all in an effort to not make the situation any more embarrassing. Though her efforts were in vain as she ended up guffawing, jiggling her impressive bust as she smacked her hand repeatedly on the shoulder of an exasperated Mutsu.

Karasuba had a tick above her eyes as she glared at an innocently whistling Matsu, putting an emphasis on each word as she stomped towards the redhead, "What, was, that?"

"Nothing! I didn't say anything! You guys didn't hear anything right?" Needless to say, No. 2 was very confident in the fact that there was no way she could match Karasuba in combat and easily chose to evade the question.

"Why you – "

"Aaaaah! Miya-tan, save me!"

"I can't believe you would just chop a man's junk off just because of that! Hahahahaha!" As usual, Kazehana was beside herself in laughter, continuing to slap Mutsu around because the male was technically the youngest of them all. Not that he liked it, if the grinding of his teeth was any indication.

Just before the chaos could continue to grow, the purplette who had strangely remained silent all this time, spoke up in her soft voice, "Who are you?"

"Huh? What are you on about, Miya-tan? Saving me should be more… whoa!" Matsu, who was in the midst of pleading mercy to a raging Karasuba, turned her head to find a strange blond human sitting right in the middle of their group, gazing peacefully at them, even placing a fist under his chin as he chuckled lightly, as though enjoying their little 'banter'.

In an instant, all four of them stood alert, stances ready to battle at any moment. Karasuba and Kazehana were shocked in particular, just how had this human appeared out of nowhere without any of them realizing. It was normal for Mutsu not to notice because… well, he was Mutsu (Said individual grumbled in protest at the faith that was shown in his abilities just because he was No. 5, or the 'non-faith' really, but was promptly ignored).

The blond human continued to sit there cross-legged, his sky-blue eyes focusing only on Miya even as she stared at him with eyes that would have frozen hell over. A small smirk found its way to his lips as he shrugged, "Just wanted to check what all the fuss was all about, this new MBI place."

Standing up slowly, he stretched his limbs for a bit, acting completely nonchalant at the fact that he was being surrounded by five aliens (four hot ones at that) ready to kill him if he were to pull anything off at all.

Once that was done, he eased up to each of the females, scrutinizing them as he scrunched his eyebrows together, as though admiring a piece of fine art. Naturally, he ignored Mutsu, which once again brought about quiet mumblings of 'non-faith' and 'must stab to death'. During his examination, the four females did not move at all, or rather, found themselves unwilling to move.

Karasuba tried with all her might to stay alert, forcing herself to ignore the fluttering of her heart and the progressive increase in her body temperature as the blond's gaze roamed all over her body. Kazehana could literally feel him undressing her with his eyes and never before has she been so aroused (granted, she really wasn't all that aroused by the researchers whom were the only humans she has had contact with so far, but still). Matsu gulped slightly as a slightly feral grin reached his lips each time his gaze flickered over to her, as though she was the prey this time around (she was actually pretty perverted already, given how those stupid researchers made her this way).

Miya seemed to be unaffected, but only she would know just how shaken she had been when they locked eyes with each other. It wasn't just an approval of her luscious body or a lust for her in pure animalistic fashion. For just that second, she felt a connection with her soul, something that she believed would never happen ever since she learned from her main adjuster, Asama Takehito, just why they needed limiters on them.

If one had the ability to crush a human simply by gently pressing a finger against them, who would still want to place their lives in someone who could annihilate them that easily? Regardless of whether her Ashikabi loved her or not, he/she would always be in danger of dying because of a casual action on her part. The differences between Sekirei and Humans were just too great, especially when she herself was the 'Pillar', and the most mature of them all. Even Karasuba openly admitted that her strength was in a different dimension to them all, and despite Takehito constantly telling her that she would be fine to enjoy the life of the human world once the limiters were placed on her, she couldn't bring herself to care.

Never would she find someone who could match her, let alone bring her to her true potential. Even when all her sisters and brothers would have found their precious Ashikabi, she would probably still be in the sidelines unwinged, simply because she would not allow a weakling to wing her. She believed in strength and might, and that before absolute power, all feelings and emotions would be futile.

She couldn't understand why Takehito had seemed so sad when he finalized her adjustments, sighing that he felt no sense of accomplishment in making her into the most dangerous killing machine this world had seen. Miya had thought that her adjuster would be elated, just like their idiotic head researcher, who then went on to become the head of MBI. _He_ certainly looked overjoyed to find out how they turned out, and couldn't wait for the other embryos to hatch; which was probably what caused everything that led up to this current invasion.

Yet this human, no this _man_ before her, had somehow made her feel humbled. It felt as if the entire world's gaze was upon her, showing her just how deep the roots of humankind ran, and just why they were still around whereas Sekirei like them still had to be adjusted. The only reason humans existed on Earth, was because they were the most suited to be on Earth. Sekirei, no matter how strong they were, failed to have that connection to Mother Nature and would always be deemed as 'outsiders', simply because their bodies weren't grown to suit the environment on Earth. It was reasoning with her that no matter how powerful she was, destruction would never bring about acceptance of Earth.

Only when one began to accept Mother Nature, to learn to cherish and protect, would one be truly strong. Destruction was a mindless and easy task, something that would come easily to her, and yet growth was a long and tedious process, something she merely treated as an aspect of her life. Those cerulean orbs seemed to be smiling at her, guiding her to the truth that was there all along.

_You reap what you sow. Before you even think about reaching your full potential, you have to find out what that is, and just how much you are willing to work for it. A toddler needed to crawl before he can walk; it was just a matter of how long the process of change took. _

And just like that, she suddenly understood many things. She thought about just why Takehito had looked so sad, why she felt empty and emotionless as lives disappeared before her eyes. To her, it was just a task that had to be done, and the man understood that. What he was teaching her was to feel. At that moment, her mind thought back to what Sahashi Takami (another head researcher who was in charge of the adjusting of Sekirei) had once mentioned, _"Emotions would be the key in deciding the growth of a Sekirei; be it anger, sadness, happiness or love, only when one fully understood them and was able to confer them to their Ashikabi, will they be able to reach their full potential."_

What seemed to be ages was really only a few seconds, and once the blond human was finished with his scrutiny, all four Sekirei felt uncharacteristically relaxed, as though they passed a test of some sort.

Mutsu was ignored and continued to draw circles in the corner with a dark aura over his head.

"Well, that was fun. MBI seems to be doing a good job with you guys. Might as well just let them grow and see where that would take you. It's been quite a while since I've been awake, but this is definitely good news. Guess I'll cut the clones some slack." Muttering to himself, the blond laughed in a carefree manner, eliciting confused looks from the Sekirei.

Karasuba, for one, was extremely annoyed at how calm he seemed to be, "Why don't you shut your trap and die!" Quick as a flash, she lunged for him, blade unsheathed in one smooth motion, barely visible to the human eye before she slashed right through the human.

Or so she thought.

"So violent. Geez, why so serious?" The blond grinned as he laughed once again, much to the annoyance of No. 4.

"I'll ask one more time, just who _are_ you?" Miya's amber eyes never left the figure that stood before them, or should she say, the image of the figure.

"I'm just an old hermit that you needn't worry about. I just woke up after all, it would take quite some time before I adjust to current society and get used to all the changes. Might have to train up my body from scratch again, which will be a pain in the butt, but I'll manage."

Gobsmacked expressions from Matsu and Kazehana could be seen as they could not for the life of them, believe what he was saying. _This is old?! Are you kidding me?! I think you should try lying better first!_

Karasuba merely scoffed at what he was saying, eyeing him with disdain and anger that somehow felt quite detached to what her normal rage would be. She just really, _really_ wanted to make this guy bleed. Surely, there was nothing unusual about it. Another thing that got on her nerves was how Miya just stood there, calm as ever, as though she was drinking tea on a nice Saturday afternoon.

Well, it _was_ a Saturday afternoon; she just wasn't drinking tea, that's all.

Mutsu was still ignored and continued to draw circles in the corner with a dark aura over his head.

Unknown to the five Sekirei, Naruto had actually been asleep all this while. It had been a long, long time since the Fourth Great Shinobi War. It was a very relieving sight when peace was restored to the five nations after Uchiha Madara was put down once and for all. One disappointing thing (for Naruto and Sakura at least) was that Sasuke insisted on revenge for Konoha and wouldn't consider a return at all. The smirk on his face even as Naruto was forced to kill him perhaps hinted that he wanted an end to his cursed bloodline too, and who better than the _dobe_ to do it?

Returning to Konoha, Naruto happily spent the rest of his days as Rokudaime Hokage, married to the crush of his life, retired at the age of ninety-nine, and finally passed the mantle onto his son as he retreated back to Mt. Myoboku (妙木山) to continue his training as a sennin. There really was nothing left for him back in Konoha seeing how Sakura and most of his friends have more or less passed away. Over the years, Kurama had become a beloved family member for him, and got along extremely well with Naruto, with both of them sharing a mutual understanding and respect for each other.

Unfortunately, only Killer Bee survived the Fourth Shinobi War and before he passed on into the afterlife, he demanded Naruto take charge of Gyuki . Now this left them a problem, something that he hadn't really wanted to deal with when he was alive. All of the bijuu were currently sealed within a statue in Mt. Myoboku, monitored by Pa and Ma constantly. The last time they chatted, Naruto understood that all the bijuu really wanted was peace and quiet, since it had been quite a while since they roamed the lands, and since there really wasn't that much that they hadn't seen or felt, it would be nice if they could just get some true rest.

Since their bodies were made up of vast amounts of chakra, dissected from the Juubi, the only way to stabilize them would be to filter that chakra and return it to the Earth. Considering the amount, it was going to take a _long_ time. Hence it was agreed that Naruto would enjoy life for as long as he wanted, then he would undergo the arduous task of neutralizing their chakra. First he would need to become a true Sage, explore his connection with Mother Nature, and act as the medium where he would transfer chakra from Mt. Myoboku to the lifestream.

The first two stages were easily done, since at age ninety-nine, Naruto really didn't have that much to think about. He was already an old man, so he understood the essence of patience and serenity. The final part was a bit difficult because he realized that compared to the pure energy within Mother Nature, the bijuus' chakra was considered to be 'vile', and for him to act as the medium, he had to be 'neutral' in terms of good and bad.

Now this posed an interesting question. What exactly was 'good' and 'bad'? Kurama gave the theory that if Naruto were to rid himself of his 'seven sins', then it would be somewhat accurate to assume that what was left would be 'good'. Hence seven clones were formed by Naruto, taking a page out of Nagato's book, and with the help of Ma and Pa, transferred the sins (Pride, Lust, Sloth, Gluttony, Wrath, Envy, Greed) into each of the seven clones. Naturally, the original Naruto fell into a coma the moment this took place.

A human's thoughts was generated from each of this seven sins, so it was natural that when all seven were taken out, there was nothing left to 'think' and hence Naruto's mind simply shut itself down to preserve energy. Mother Nature maintained its connection to him, and linked his soul to the lifestream, thereby creating that 'neutral' medium they had been looking for.

The seven clones were spread throughout the continents, overlooking the peace of the Five Nations. The question one would ask was that, 'If those clones were made up of Naruto's sins, then wouldn't they start wreaking havoc all over the place? This was Naruto we were talking about.'

Quite true. The clones did cause quite a bit of an uproar at the start, but Naruto wasn't the Child of Destiny for nothing. It was quite an amusing discovery but, those seven sins were really pretty harmless.

Pride meant that he _must_ have orange, at all costs. Throw him orange clothing, problem solved.

Lust would start willing relationships with females of all sorts, but never forcing itself onto others because… it wasn't Naruto's style.

Sloth became Shikamaru the second.

Gluttony started a ramen chain store.

Wrath was pretty docile, surprisingly. Naruto really didn't remember grudges that well, so that point was moot.

Envy was quite like Wrath, which might explain why they resided together during Naruto's coma. Naruto had pretty much accomplished everything that he could accomplish now. It's kinda hard to be jealous of anybody when you're pretty much _the_ strongest and most prominent Shinobi of all five nations.

Greed liked money. A lot. So he started writing continuations of the Icha Icha novels, as a tribute to his sensei, Jiraiya.

So all in all, time passed by without much fuss from the seven clones. The bijuu's chakra had to be filtered in order, so from one tail all the way to nine. The fact that the Shukaku (Ichibi – One Tail) already took one hundred years was pretty alarming. Matatabi (Nibi – Two Tails) took a hundred and fifty. Isobu (Sanbi – Three Tails) took two hundred, so on and so forth.

The clones would live as long as Naruto lived, seeing how his chakra was a direct link to the lifestream where Mother Nature was preserving his life force, maintaining it at its pinnacle. It was as though She understood what Naruto's objective was and was doing all that She could to help him. Pa and Ma would never forget how Naruto would look younger and younger as the years passed, before stopping at the age of twenty three, when he was at his best. The only trouble was that his physical body was undergoing atrophy, though at a much slower rate compared to normal humans, but even then, after a few hundred years, you would expect the bones to be a tad too brittle and the muscles a bit too flimsy.

Kurama took it upon himself to prolong that as much as he could, using his own chakra as a means to heighten Naruto's already impressive life force, regenerating the cells at an alarming rate, keeping his body in perfect condition. Naturally, that meant the clones were also enjoying this benefit and were having the time of their lives at… whatever it was they enjoyed doing.

As such, years passed by, and civilization developed. Shinobi slowly died out, seeing how times of peace could only bring you so much and people soon began to discover other trades that would better benefit the society than assassination. Each of the seven clones took up one continent of the world, ensuring that when Naruto did wake up, he would be up to date with events everywhere. No language barriers, no lack of knowledge and of course, a ton of experience in all professions.

And so the clones helped Naruto live his multiple lives to the fullest, and soon the year where the spaceship crashed near 'Japan' came. The clones had actually all gathered for a quick reunion, which they did every year and went to check up on their 'boss, before witnessing the crashing of the spaceship. They would then analyze the information with the toads at Mt. Myoboku, which was still relatively well hidden, undiscovered by humankind and conclude that this might be something they could look into when Naruto woke up. At that point in time, only the last four bijuu remained. But of course, their chakra capacities were bigger and hence would require more time.

An interesting idea came up from Pride around the eighteen century. Why not help boss build up an empire using technology from that ship? The clones all held knowledge of what was on that ship, which would explain how they were absolutely brilliant at their professions throughout their lives, but never really thought of using it on current civilization.

Sloth was the voice of reason and agreed to that idea, but decided that sudden changes were pointless, and maybe gradual introductions of what they knew would be the best. So in honour of their 'boss', Trinity Inc was formed. It started out small, but then gradually branched out into the respective fields, eliminating competitors with relative ease (the clones had brute force, smart intellect and hundreds of years under their belt, there really wasn't much they couldn't handle or foresee).

Fast-forwarding the time to the year 1999, just as Minaka found the spaceship along with Takami, Uzumaki Naruto finally woke up from his long coma. The last thing he remembered was the smirking face of Kurama, who uttered a curious word, "Enjoy" before he too entered the lifestream.

The clones were ecstatic to see their boss back in action and were more than happy to relinquish their control back to Naruto. Despite two thousand or so years of living, the clones still had some of that young Naruto within them, and in that moment of joy, they all decided to disperse at the same time. Impulsive as always.

It wasn't that good a move as Naruto's brain and body were instantly overloaded with more information than they could handle and once again… shut down. Funny that.

Sloth was the only one who had some sense (or was just too lazy) to disperse, and ended up staring with owlish eyes at their once again unconscious 'boss'. It would be the year 2000 when Naruto would wake up, cursing his clones for being so childish. That led to him reviewing the information about the current world, current events, Trinity Inc and of course, the spaceship. It would seem that the clones felt it was some sort of present for him, as though a second life was prepared for him so that he would be able to do exactly what Kurama had told him to: Enjoy.

He didn't understand it then, he understood it now.

Enjoy anything and everything. The world he was in was completely different from the one he grew up in before. Advanced technology was now on the rise and it would take a while before he could adjust completely. Memories only went so far after all, it would take himself travelling all around the world to fully comprehend the mass of the changes that occurred.

But first, he decided to pay a little visit to the Sekirei. His clones had been keeping close tabs of it, since the information they received from the spaceship was extremely precious, and they didn't want it leaking out to the public. This led to his curiosity of the newly formed MBI. Something must be right about Hiroto Minaka if his clones allowed him to near the spaceship.

Years later, he would come to regret even _thinking_ that thought, realizing it was just a major prank played on him by his clones.

He entered Sage mode once more, asking permission from Mother Nature to grant him a connection to Kamikura Island, which was approved, leading up to the events of him meeting Sekirei numbers 1 to 4.

No. 5 Mutsu got tired of drawing circles and decided to go back to the base and report to Minaka and Takami about the current proceedings. No one cared about him leaving, of course.

Deciding that his would be enough for now and he really needed to get back to tuning his physical body after filtering all of the bijuu's chakra, Naruto gave the girls a wink before grinning, "I'll see you girls around. Please don't hesitate to miss me." It would seem that he was now _very_ comfortable with the female species given how Lust was _very_ thorough in his exploits.

Again, he would later regret in the years to come for saying that, not knowing of the agony that he caused to the Sekirei with that casual comment. Although he was reassured multiple times by them that it really wasn't his fault and that it was completely voluntary on their part, he still couldn't help but feel guilty. But that's a story for another time.

Matsu had sensed that he was about to leave and quickly yelled out, "When will we see you again? Surely you have to tell us that?" By knowing his location, it would be much easier to get information on him and next time they met, she'll be much better prepared and … much… oh such naughty thoughts she was thinking! Stupid researchers!

Naruto however, raised an eyebrow before mumbling how it might be a good idea if they forgot about this for now, since he didn't want to attract unwanted tension. In the midst of his mumbling, Kazehana stood next to his figure and began poking at his image experimentally, as though wanting to know just how this was all happening.

Karasuba was oddly quiet as she stood beside Miya, as though wanting to see how this would all play out. The purplette finally made her move as she moved right in front of Naruto's image and whispered, "You don't think you'll be let off this easily did you? No matter where you go, we _will_ find you."

The last words Miya would remember hearing from Naruto were a soft whisper of "Genjutsu: Makyou Tenshin (幻術:魔鏡天心 – Illusion Technique: Mystic Mirrors of the Heart)".

It would be awhile before any of the four Sekirei woke up, before their minds registering a clear blank between now and when they had just defeated the invading army. Mutsu would come back and be bombarded by questions of what had happened, only to find that he didn't have answers at all. Although Minaka did order a detailed search for anyone that matched Mutsu's description, it ultimately ended in failure since there really was too little to go by. He instead returned his focus back to his Sekirei Plan, oh how he couldn't wait for it all to come to fruition!

**X – X **

Naruto had returned to Mt. Myoboku, where he would once again get in touch with the Great Toad Sage. To be honest, he was surprised that it was still alive, as well as Ma and Pa, not that he was complaining but you had to wonder how a toad could live for two thousand years. Turned out that because of his presence at Mt. Myoboku when he had acted as the medium, some of the energy he filtered had been returned to the place as a minor reward for his efforts. Naturally, that meant longer lifespans for all the toads present.

"Now, now, Naru-chan, you've only just woken up, are you sure you want to get right back into training?" Shima asked, her voice filled with concern and joy that her favorite human was now up and running.

"Ha! It's better than eating those stews of yours I bet!" Fukusaku snorted before he was whacked on the head by his wife.

"What did you say about my stew?!"

"You heard me before, do you want me to say it again?!"

Staring at the bickering couple before him, the blond couldn't help but chuckle lightly as a wave of nostalgia ran over him. He couldn't believe it had already been so long.

It really was quite a lot to take in. Two thousand years was a long time, and the experiences of the seven clones were of such a wide variety that he still felt slightly disoriented by it all.

A thing to note was that his whisker-like birthmarks have now thinned considerably and Kurama's chakra was nowhere to be found. What he did gain from this was a better feel of Mother Nature, meaning it would be that much easier for him to pick up Senjutsu (Sage Arts) once more. His body was highly lacking in training, and his control over his chakra was all over the place.

Sighing to himself, he knew that it would be a long time before he would ever reach proper form, let alone his form in his prime. Considering how his chakra capacity was slightly smaller compared to when he had Kurama within him, he was quite happy to find that the chakra was now purer, which meant that with training, he could get his efficiency levels higher, meaning his control would be that much easier to improve. He might even be able to learn some healing jutsu at this rate, especially Tsunade-baa-chan's monstrous strength technique.

With a training plan already forming in his mind, Naruto couldn't help but let a smirk appear on his lips.

_Minna, thank you for giving me this second chance, I'll treasure it with all my heart, and enjoy it as much as I can! _

"Naru-chan! Come help me get this hag off me!" Fukusaku's yells effectively ruined the moment, leaving a sweatdropping Naruto to repeat an action that he had done countless times before in his life – preventing Shima from stomping the crap out of her husband.

**X – Twenty Years Later – X **

It was now the year 2020, with the MBI taking control over Tokyo, renaming it to the Shinto Teito. The corporation has really grown over the past years and developed into a force to be reckoned with. In some ways, MBI was on par and even better than Trinity Inc in the Asia Pacifica regions.

The First stage of the Sekirei plan has just begun, not that the civilians would know. To them, it was just a relatively normal day, with people bustling about their daily lives.

For a certain blond, this would be a day to remember, for this would be his first time stepping foot onto this land, and essentially start his second life. Earlier on at dawn, he had bid Ma and Pa, along with the Great Toad Sage and the other toads goodbye, saying that he would come back to visit when the time was right. Naturally, the tears wouldn't stop from Ma and for once, Pa didn't find it in himself to bicker with her.

He was now in shape and fit to go, at least that's what Ma and Pa told him. He still felt that he could train a bit more and push himself a little since he retained Kurama's regenerative abilities due to his treatment when he was still in a coma. There was just nothing like pushing yourself to the next level through hard work and perseverance. Now all he needed was a green spandex and a bowl hair cut with perfect shining teeth and he would be as youthful as he ever was!

Actually… No, not really…

Dressed casually in a black leather jacket with an orange undershirt, Naruto made his way across the streets of Shinto Teito. The Jade necklace he received from Tsunade ages ago (literally) hung loosely from his neck, gleaming in the sunlight. Standing at a rough height of six foot, he weighed roughly a hundred and eighty pounds; his sun-kissed hair retaining its spiky appearance and his gentle cerulean eyes glancing around as he tried to locate his destination.

He had sent a clone down a few days before to get some cash out of the bank and put together a basic backpack for him so that he wouldn't look too out of the ordinary. He did want to look like a guy that just got back from overseas after all.

Hey he wasn't really faking it. He did come back _over_ the _sea_. Mt Myoboku was on an island in the ocean!

Anyway, he soon found his way to the northern sector of the city, where he tried to find a place to stay for himself. He had tried the other three sectors with no luck, but figured that it was just because of the other three Ashikabi controlling the population traffic in those areas. Pondering just what he needed to do to get himself started in Shinto Teito, he stumbled across a humble two-story Japanese house sitting quietly by the road.

The more he looked at it, the nicer he found it to be. Nodding his head in satisfaction, he began moving towards it, hoping that it wouldn't be full like all the others.

As he neared the sign that read _Izumo Inn_, he pushed open the wooden gate that led to the entrance, he was greeted with the sight of an elegant lady dressed in a purple hakama and a white haori and a sash like belt. Her long hair, a graceful shade of violet was held together by a lovely white ribbon. Noticing the new arrival, she raised her head and gave a warm smile, "Welcome to Izumo Inn! How may I help you?"

Staring at her face in silent awe, Naruto reminisced to that particular moment twenty years ago.

_To think that she has changed this much, one would find it hard to compare this lovely lady to that killing machine._

Shaking his head, Naruto couldn't help but give a short barking laugh, before a foxy grin crept to his lips, "Hello there, I was wondering if there are any rooms available for rent at the moment?"

* * *

_**And cut. There you have it, that's the prologue. Hopefully I wasn't being too boring with explaining the chakra filtering etc, but I figured that I needed a way to bring Naruto into this universe. While it might not be the best way, it was certainly random, and you all know how I love being random. **_

_**Please do review and give me your thoughts. Would be nice to see what you guys feel about the potential of this one. I bet you guys are thinking Naruto will just get numbers 1 to 4 during the invasion eh? WRONG! Mwahaha! **_

_**Sorry, couldn't resist. Anyways, I'll try and post another chapter soon seeing how it's the weekend for me. If you like it, stay tuned for more! **_

_**Wilson, aka weixuan18, signing out. **_


	2. Chapter 1: Reborn Angel

_**A/N: Someone asked if Naruto would get No. 1 – 4 through the story. Well, I can't really answer that, since I myself am still in a bit of dilemma. I really like Miya and Kazehana, and I have this fascination of being able to overpower Karasuba (there's just something about dominating a dominatrix that's really satisfying). As for Matsu, if I ignore the glasses, she's really hot too, so… **_

_**I'm sure you would all agree that it would be boring if 1-4 just joined him in chap 1. I really wouldn't have anything to write about in that case because Naruto will pretty much have the most OP harem ever. Might do an omake for that actually. We'll see how it goes. As for a list of the Sekirei that will be winged, well, that's a secret, because that adds suspense (hopefully). There are a few that I really like, so it shouldn't be that hard to tell who I'll be going for. **_

_**Also, some of you brought to my attention a Fate/stay x Sekirei Crossover, In Flight by Gabriel blessing. Read a few chapters of it and was mightily impressed. If you haven't read it, go for it. It's really good. Some might say it's the best Sekirei crossover there is. Dang, didn't think the bar to reach would be this high. Oh well.**_

_**That being said, chapter 1, coming up. =D**_

* * *

A Second Journey

Chapter 1: Reborn Angel

"Hello there! I was wondering if there are any rooms available for rent at the moment?"

"Yes, we do in fact have a few rooms vacant at the moment, but may I ask…?" The purplette tilted her head slightly as she gazed at the man that stood before her, curious as to why a young one like him would end up in this sector of the city. Usually they hung out in the east or the south, where business was blooming and job opportunities were easy to come by. The north was quite the quiet place in comparison, though the serenity of it did attract visitors every now and then.

Naruto gave a sheepish smile as he scratched the back of his head, "Ah, right, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Uzumaki Naruto. And er… I somehow lost my Trinity Credit Card on my way around the city and since I really wanted to find somewhere I could live within the cash budget I had, I've decided to give your inn a try." The fact that he made it as vague as he could how he lost his credit card should have been quite suspicious, but somehow, Miya could tell that he was just really embarrassed.

It was quite pathetic really. You would expect someone who trained for the past twenty years to be much more dexterous when it came to handling objects the size of his palm. But apparently when ramen was added to the mix, things would get complicated. He was hungry, and was wandering in the southern district when he stumbled upon this 'awesome' ramen stall (which was really just a normal stall that served ramen, but because it served ramen, it automatically became awesome). He had like twenty bowls or something, effectively scaring the heck out of the owner, and when it came time to pay, he was so immersed in happiness at having been able to eat ramen after so many years of eating Ma's disgusti - , er, 'tasty' stew, he wanted to thank the store owner as quickly as he could. So with the quickness one would expect from a trained shinobi, he withdrew his wallet in one fluid motion, brandished his Trinity Credit Card, only for it to slip from his fingers and fall right into the pot of ramen that was on the stove.

He had to pay using the cash he had left on him and by the time he left the store, his wallet was considerably lighter. Gama-chan was not pleased at all as it stared back at him with blank eyes even as Naruto rubbed his cheek against it repeatedly saying how he didn't mean to lose control like that when it came to ramen, he just couldn't help it. Gama-chan resolutely stayed silent. With what's left on him, he set about trying to find a proper place to stay, but naturally, he couldn't afford any place decent in the bustling districts of East and South, and that was how he finally ended up in the North.

Not that the landlady needed to know any of his embarrassing exploits, of course.

Which would lead to his current abashed expression as he tried to not look as ashamed of himself as he should. The landlady simply giggled at this and gave a nod of affirmation, "In that case, you are more than welcome to rent a room here for a value of 50,000 yen a month. All methods of payment are fine, with exception to using the MBI card."

Her smile never reached her eyes as she spoke the last bit, earning a raised eyebrow from Naruto, "Er, so you don't take credit cards?"

"I do, just not the MBI card."

"Huh. Why's that?"

"Himitsu desu. _(It's a secret)_"

"…" How she managed to say that with a straight face was beyond him. What the hell happened in the last twenty years for her to undergo such a brilliant character change? Kinda reminded him of himself when he was young. It was fun to act way younger than your age so that females would think you're cute, and then you move in for the…

Wait a minute.

Wait, _what_?

Since when did he… oh right, Lust. Of course.

Shaking his head at his random thought process, he focused back onto the landlady that stood at ease before him. Deciding to let his curiosity get the better of him, or rather he let his inner Jiraiya-trained pervert take over and blurted out, "Are you currently married?"

The end result to that question was quite hilarious. He was treated to the No. 1 Sekirei staring at him with owlish eyes, her stance completely thrown off balance as she was taken aback by how forward he was. They've only met for the first time (least in her memory) a few minutes ago!

Naruto was quite certain he heard someone spitting their drink out on the second floor at his question. Disturbing 'ufufufu' chuckles seemed to echo for a few seconds as well, not that he knew where they were coming from since he was currently as 'normal' as a human could be.

"Why I never! You certainly don't beat around the bush do you, Naruto-san?" Placing her right hand lightly over her chest, the landlady did a perfect swoon as she continued on, "Should I even consider letting you into this inn now that I know of your lust for me?"

Raising an eyebrow, Naruto got into his thinking pose, which was really just placing a hand under his chin and lifting his head up slightly, "But of course! If anything you should be using your wily wits to pretend to show me affection so that I would sell my soul to you and be your loyal slave for the rest of our lives!"

Yep, definitely Lust.

It was quite disturbing actually now that he knew of some of the things the clone would do. Flirting was fine, _this_ was not.

Whatever response the purplette thought she would be getting, it certainly wasn't this. It wasn't often that someone was able to ruin her pace so easily twice in a row.

"Naruto-san, are you a masochist?"

When he heard that, Naruto made an oath right then and there that if he were to _ever_ hear those words coming out of the mouth of such an angelic face, he would commit seppuku right then and there.

"Not that I know of, no."

"You could have fooled me with your last outburst." How those lilac orbs could say such hurtful things so easily was beyond him!

"It's… complicated."

"Yes, it does seem rather bad." _Alright, that's it, even if you have the body of a porcelain goddess of perfection, I will not hesitate to rip your clothes off and ravage…_

Seriously, Lust, what the hell have you been doing for the past two thousand years?

Rolling his eyes, Naruto simply shook his head, "Jokes aside. Are you?"

Surprisingly, the landlady gave him a frank answer, "Yes, I am."

Their roles switched instantly as Naruto became the drama queen… er, king. "I must meet the gentleman that was able to capture the heart of such an enchanting lady! I shall challenge him to a duel and may the winner – "

"He passed away."

"…" Well, shit.

How was one supposed to respond to something like that?

"I'm… sorry for your loss?" What he really wanted to blurt out was, '_It's definitely his loss.'_ It wasn't that he was being insensitive; I mean he was only sorting through two thousand years' worth of experience and in all honesty, he didn't even know the poor bloke! It was really hard to feel sorry for someone who got married to one of the hottest killing machines on earth, only to die. Rather anti-climactic, one would say.

"It's okay. I came to terms with it myself a long time ago. He was the one that taught me about how we should never refuse aid to people in need of them. His goal was to make this world a much better place, to rid the people of sorrow and pain, allowing everyone to live in peace. Haha, it sounds so silly, doesn't it?"

_Er, not really, no. I mean I've only tried to do that seven hundred billion times in the past…_

"He sounds like a respectable man to me."

"That he was, yes." Her serene smile said it all.

_Sigh, looks like I lost my chance. Oh well._

"So do you have any kids yet?" Not one to linger on his 'losses' for long, the blond instantly followed up on the topic in a chirpy manner.

This would be the _third_ time she looked at him as though _he_ was the alien. It was quite disconcerting, really.

Once again sounds of someone choking over her drink and more 'ufufufufu' could be heard.

"I… I don't understand…" Those lavender eyes of hers showed genuine confusion, as though his question required an answer from someone that was not of this dimension.

"… You were married right? From how you were talking about him, you must have known him for a long time. It can't be a purely platonic love, can it?"

Honest to Kami, he intended for that to be a joke. People were supposed to laugh at jokes, not nod at them and go, "Why yes. That's exactly what it was."

Naruto then facefaulted right onto the concrete path he was standing on, his eyes strangely flooding with tears as he gave a silent thumbs up to himself.

_Wherever you are now, I want to thank you for being the noble guy you were._

"I was the one to suggest it, after all."

_Oh the lord, the long, suffering nights you must have been having! You poor, poor bastard. _

Leaping up quick as a flash, Naruto kneeled down on one knee before her, gently grasping her left hand and was in the motion of raising it to his lips for a kiss as he murmured in a rather feral way, "I shall accomplish what he has failed!"

What that earned him was a broom to the head. Not just any broom, it was _the_ broom. Like the anti-pervert broom.

Naturally, that meant a small crater was now formed around Naruto's head, which currently resided on the concrete path.

"Now, now, Uzumaki-san, lewd acts like this are forbidden in Izumo Inn."

"That was done in such a perfectly sophisticated manner though…" The blond mumbled through the rubble in his face.

**X – X**

It took him a while to get settled into the room he was allocated. Seeing how he didn't have any belongings with him other than his backpack (not that he needed any really, he had been sleeping in environments way worse than this for the past few years), the landlady, who introduced herself as Asama Miya, had gave him some basic directions as to where he could get some basic furniture to decorate his room a bit.

Unbeknownst to the landlady, a blond clone had phased into existence the moment she mentioned where futons were sold, and was on his mission to buy the everyday necessities that his 'boss' would need. Naruto wasn't too fussed about furniture, his first home had one bed, one table and that was it.

Miya then led him to meet his new 'neighbor', a Uzume-san. He caused quite the scene when both females caught him staring at the star symbol that was present on Uzume's t-shirt. Or rather what was underneath the symbol.

_Daaaaaaaaamn…_

**SMACK!**

"Uzumaki-san, what did I tell you about lewd acts?"

"Hey I wasn't acting on anything! Can't a man even _look _and appreciate something that's available _right in front of _him?!" His indignant cries elicited quite the joyous laughter from Uzume, who gave him a cheeky reply.

"You can look all you want, but you can't touch."

"DEAL!"

"Uzumaki-san!" Another round of whacking ensued.

After that, Uzume had to rush off to the hospital to meet up with someone and Naruto was left all alone with Miya once again.

Rubbing his head to try and ease those red bumps off his head, he turned towards the slightly miffed landlady sheepishly, "Er, yeah, sorry about that."

"Mo, Uzumaki-san is such a hentai. I'm not even sure if it was the right decision to let you in now."

"Well it's not my fault the first two people I meet are of such high standards! The only females I've had contact with for the past few years were _toads_ for goodness sake!"

Miya simply gave a haughty sniff, "Men and their need to over exaggerate!"

_But… but I'm telling the truth… Mt. Myoboku only had toads…_

Shrugging off his disappointment at how he was misunderstood, Naruto decided to change the topic, "So, anyone else I need to meet?"

The purplette gave him one last condescending glare, before closing her eyes and replying calmly, "Fortunately, Kagari-san is currently working, so you won't be able to meet him until he gets back."

Feeling a sweatdrop form on his forehead, Naruto grimaced, "You don't have to be _this_ careful of me you know. I don't swing that way."

Opening her eyes by a tiny margin, she peered at him with an intensity that was pretty unnerving, as though trying to decide if that last sentence was even worth commenting on, before finally deciding to stomp on the blond's ego some more, "Nonetheless, I feel the need to protect Kagari-san's innocence from you."

Getting up from the ground after suffering a major facefault, Naruto tried once more to make small talk, "Er, so what kind of job does this Kagari-san do anyway?"

Noticing how Miya was giving him that suspicious squint once again, the blond asked in confusion, "What? I'm just asking."

"You're not intending to stalk him are you?"

Cue facefault.

"You're having with me, aren't you?" Struggling to get up after falling down so many times, what with the accusations piling all over him, weighing him down, Naruto asked in a quivering voice, "You're cruel, has anyone ever told you that?"

"Maa, maa, rude on top of being a hentai, what monster did I unleash upon Izumo Inn?"

That did the job. Naruto was now permanently stuck to the ground, with no intention of getting up again, not when this devil of a woman was lashing at him with that devious little tongue.

"And to answer your last question, Kagari-san works as a host at a nightclub."

Silence reigned for about three seconds, before a supposedly flimsy Naruto leapt off the ground with overwhelming force, before glaring right at the landlady, who tried to look as innocent as she could, "How can he still be innocent if he works as a host?!"

"Ara, ara, is Uzumaki-san one to judge people by their jobs?"

"That's not the point!"

"I'm so scared! Uzumaki-san is yelling at me." Hiding her eyes behind her hands, she tried to play the damsel in distress, but naturally, Naruto wasn't just going to let her win.

"Oh Miya-saaaaaan…"

"Yes? Uzumaki-saaaaan?" Apparently she deemed it worthy to play along.

This woman was just insufferable! She even had the gall to smile so sweetly at him, as though he was the one at fault, successfully making him feel so very small.

Sighing, Naruto ruffled his hair a bit, trying to gather his thoughts, "I need some fresh air. Don't think I've forgotten about this whole thing now, I'll get you yet." Adding a bit of playful snarl into his words, he tried to act the image of a vengeful Yakuza.

"Alright, goodbye for now Uzumaki-san! I'll be sure to tell Kagari-san how much you cared about him and that you love him!"

"When have I _ever_ said that?!" His calm and collected stance was ruined in an instant.

"Ara, ara, has Uzumaki-san perhaps lost his memory? Taihen (Uh-oh, this is serious), I should give you the directions to the hospital and – "

Before she even finished, Naruto was seen running out of Izumo Inn with twin torrents of tears flying behind his figure as he disappeared into the distance.

It would be a while before Miya started chuckling merrily as she resumed clearing up the leaves in her backyard, quietly mumbling to herself, "That will teach him for trying to ask me stupid questions."

**X – X **

There was a motto in Naruto's life that he had come to abide.

Nothing to do with how strong one could become when protecting someone precious to him.

Nothing to do with how he was going to become Hokage.

Nothing to do with how Sakura-chan was the love of his life.

"When in doubt, have a bowl of ramen! Itadakimasu!" And with that, all sorrows were thrown away.

It really was that simple. After he had escaped from Izumo Inn, he had been wandering through the streets for a while, wondering just what he should be doing now, before he realized that he actually needed cash on him before he could do anything.

Hence, his first priority was to find a branch of Trinity Bank located somewhere in Shinto Teito. It took him just a little over an hour of asking and walking to finally find it, go in, give the password and all that, and retrieve his money. It was _his_ bank after all, the procedures were extremely simple for him.

It was then where a little mishap happened to him. He had literally just walked out of the bank when he heard a loud shriek of 'Get out of the way please!' before he was pummeled to the ground by someone. He knew it was a 'someone' because 'somethings' do not speak.

Struggling to get up, he found himself nicely stuck in a tangle with the aforementioned 'someone', and after spending more than five minutes removing himself from the person, he took a good look at his assailant.

"Itai, itai. Oh! Musubi is so sorry! Are you alright, mister?!"

Naruto easily waved off her concerns with a simple answer of 'I'm alright' before he stared at the fair-skinned young woman that stood before him. She was of average height and a slender build, sporting a very developed and curvaceous body with a slim waist and flared hips. Her hair was a light shade of brown, done up in a traditional Japanese hime style, with short bangs and chin-length strands framing her face coupling with hip length hair tied back in a pink ribbon at the nape of her neck.

Watching her in amusement as she fidgeted about anxiously, he noticed that her attire felt strangely similar to that of a Japanese Miko (Priestess), though hers felt more like a combat version of the attire. She wore a white gi together with a red thigh-length skirt, thigh-high stockings and ankle-high brown boots, all of which only served to put more emphasis on that enticing figure of hers. Naturally, the most noticeable part of her appearance was her firm and well-endowed chest, which really did no justice to what they would _really_ look like once those clothes come off.

Wait, what.

Shaking his head in an almost violent manner, Naruto proceeded to chant in his brain that he would not allow that one Sin of his to take over once he sees hot girls with large breasts. Of course, it was always easier said than done, because the second time he looked back at the poor girl who was on the verge of hyperventilating for fear that she had hurt him, his eyes were once again focused on her perky…

"Argh! Bad Naruto! Bad Naruto!"

"Mister! Are you sure you're alright?! Why are you smashing you head into the wall?!" Her voice was melodious and easy on the ears; those words that came out of her mouth however, were a bit too 'youthful' for his liking.

"Of course I'm alright." Naruto muttered in a dull tone even as blood trickled down his face as the seconds passed by, "Why would I not be alright?"

The poor girl simply did not know what to say and continued bustling around him, trying to do something to help save this kind man who softened her fall.

In the end, it took Naruto five more minutes to reassure the girl that he was fine and that she did not cause him brain damage despite her vehement comments that she must have because no one in their right mind would bash their head on walls for no reason whatsoever.

"So, Musubi-chan, what sent you flying through the air?" The blond asked in a carefree manner, somewhat curious as to why someone of her age and naivety would be allowed to wander the streets by herself.

"Oh! Musubi was being chased by two very evil bullies! They kept firing lightning strikes at me! Musubi had no choice but to escape!" The emotions that threatened to explode from her slim figure could be felt in waves by Naruto, and the blond couldn't help but sweatdrop at how enthusiastic she seemed to be.

_Right… lightning strikes. Hmmmmm. _

"How about this Musubi-chan? I'll give you something to protect you from them, how does that sound?"

"Eh? Really?! That's great! Thank you very much mister!" Her eyes widened upon hearing his suggestion and tears began to build up in her eyes as she sniffed pitifully, "Mister is such a nice person!"

Resisting the urge to glomp her and exclaim the typical 'kawaii' shout, Naruto simply handed her a small paper tag, "Mister sounds so formal. My name is Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto."

"Naruto-san! Thank you so very much!" Giving him a steep bow, the nimble brunette was suddenly on the alert, before she leapt off in a different direction, giving him very energetic waves of her hand all the while, "Sorry Naruto-san! I think they're nearby again! I don't want to get you electrocuted, so I'll be off! Hopefully I'll be able to see you again sometime!"

Stifling a choke of laughter, he waved back, before settling into his thinking stance once more.

_97… 58… 91... Ufufufufu…_

He then erupted into a series of perverted giggles that had all the other pedestrians inching away just a bit more than necessary as they walked past him.

It took him another few minutes in Icha-Icha land, before he finally remembered something important, "Ah crap! I didn't tell her how to use that tag!"

Staring blankly ahead as he tried to think of some way where he would be able to get that information to Musubi, he finally gave up and shrugged in resignation, "Well, I'm sure she'll come up with something. She's a smart girl after all."

With that mini-episode aside, he then made his way back to the ramen restaurant, where he would follow his motto and eat ramen to digest all his sorrow.

It wasn't as good as the ones he made, but it would have to make do. He was simply too lazy to start cooking himself after being pampered by Ma to eat those stews of hers for the past twenty years or so. So after paying the flabbergasted chef, Naruto happily made his way out of the restaurant, and gave a loud, satisfied burp.

"Now… what should I…"

"Naruto-san! Please get out of the way!"

Raising an eyebrow at hearing the familiar voice, the blond turned his head and was about to wave at her and said that he was just thinking of looking for her, when two fleshy mounds rammed themselves into his face, sending them both into a tussle on the ground once again.

He really didn't want to get up quickly, seeing how his head was nested directly between Musubi's firm, luscious breasts. Must this girl tempt him so? He would seriously consider stripping her in public just to prove that he had her three sizes down to the pat if she kept rubbing herself against him like this.

"N-Naruto-san! A-are you o-okay?" Asked a very dizzy Musubi as she struggled to find her bearings.

Said blond could only sigh in exasperation as he picked her up with one hand, patted the dust off her attire, and gave her a soft flick on the forehead, "So? What's your excuse this time? I know I'm a nice guy and all but you can't just aim to hit on me so often, you know? My ego might skyrocket and burst." The sarcasm that was oozing from him was obviously lost on the naïve girl as she blinked curiously at his comments.

"Egos can do that?! Musubi had no idea!"

"…" Speechless once again, Naruto decided to be straight up with her, just in case she got caught up in other matters, "How come you're still escaping? Did you use that tag I gave you?"

Upon hearing that, the brunette started nodding furiously, "Yes! That was really helpful! Thank you so much, Naruto-san!"

Raising an eyebrow, the blond couldn't help but ask, "Then why are you still running? That tag surely would have slowed them down enough for you to escape successfully." The tag he gave her was a Doton: Ishi Shibari (土遁：石縛り – Earth Element: Rock Bind) tag. Following the elemental cycle of destruction, lightning was weak against earth, and hence that tag should have been able to repel whatever lightning strikes that was sent at the girl and then latched onto the users, effectively 'disarming' them.

At this, the poor girl started stuttering and mumbling as she pointed her forefingers together in front of her chest.

Straining to hear her, Naruto leaned in, "What was that?"

"Musubi… Musubi was so amazed at what the tag did that she forgot to run away… Teehee." Adopting an absolutely adorable expression with a light blush on her face, she tried to pass it off as a common mistake that _anyone_ would make had they seen what the tag could do. Honestly, that tag was so cool!

Naruto though, couldn't help but do a perfect facepalm. Ignoring the twitching of his eyebrows, the blond could only imagine the brunette's surprise when all of a sudden, rocky ropes were extended from the tag, first forming a protective barrier for her, absorbing the energy, and then charging for the owners of that energy, tying them up into a bundle, rendering them harmless. Looking at how she was poking out her tongue in an abashed manner, the girl probably drooled while she stared at the bundle, poked at it a few times, and unknowingly with her huge strength, weakened the bonds, and freed her 'bullies'.

He would later find out that it was _exactly_ what had happened, which would bring much laughter to the entire Izumo Inn, but that was another story for another time.

The blond was currently at a dilemma as to what he could do for her. He still had yet to see the lightning people who were chasing Musubi, and he couldn't possibly take her with him for the simple fact that it would seem extremely suspicious if he were to offer a girl full protection after meeting with her only _twice_. Most would think he was going after her body or something. So that option was out.

At that moment, a loud growling was heard as it echoed through the area. For a few seconds, Naruto stared at his own stomach in suspicion, recognizing that it was definitely that of an empty stomach, but seeing how he had just finished his insanely large ramen meal, that would leave…

If possible, Musubi's blush got even deeper in colour as she laughed in an awkward manner, "It's nothing! It's nothing, Naruto-san!"

"Uh huh. And how long has it been since you've eaten anything, Musubi-chan?" Tapping his feet on the ground, he crossed his arms across his chest, awaiting a response from the girl.

"N-not too long…" Her sentence was cut off by an even louder growl than before.

"Musubi-chan, it's not good to lie, you know."

"Hai. Musubi is sorry."

"Good, now tell me, are you hungry?"

"Naruto-san," With tears flowing down her face, the brunette started wailing, "Musubi is starving!"

**X – X **

Twenty three bowls of ramen later, Naruto brought an equally satisfied Musubi out of the restaurant, leaving behind them an entire wake of dumbfounded customers who had just witnessed the impossible. The blond too was surprised to see the girl eat all that food.

_Though it would explain why she was so well-endowed at such a young age…_

The two of them hadn't really spoken that much over the meal since they were both busy eating. Well, mainly Musubi, Naruto was just watching for the most part. Even he couldn't stomach sixty bowls of ramen in one sitting.

_Technically, I could, but that would just leave me feeling very bad afterwards._

The two of them then proceeded to have a short walk around the city so as to help digest the food they've eaten so far, and Naruto occasionally made small talk with the brunette, who was more than happy to answer her questions.

"Musubi is trying very hard to find her ashikabi! But those bullies are so mean! They've been trying to sabotage Musubi's mission in life! Mumumu! Why would they do something like that! Ne, Naruto-san!"

"Yes, of course! Don't you worry, Musubi-chan, you will definitely find your ashikabi! Be it tomorrow or ten years later, you will definitely find him!"

"T-ten years later… M-Musubi doesn't think she can't survive on her own for that long…"

"Don't you have like a MBI card or something?" He had only just found out that the girl was literally penniless.

"Musubi lost it while being chased by those bullies. Sniff, sniff."

"Ah, I see."

"But no! Musubi will not give up! If it really would take me ten years! Musubi will do everything it takes to wait for that day to come!"

"Does it really matter to you that much to find someone that loves you to find your ashikabi? Why not just find someone you love and be done with it?"

"…Hai?" Tilting her head to the side, the brunette tried to work out the mechanics in her head, "Is there a difference?"

"It's real simple. The guy that you love doesn't have to love you back. The guy that loves you, you usually will love him back." _This really only works because you're a Sekirei. If you were human, that law will at best work about five percent of the time._

"Really? Wow, Naruto-san is so smart!"

"The world's best shinobi, Uzumaki Naruto, at your service!"

"Naruto-san, what's a shi-no-bi?"

"My dear Musubi-chan, that's a sseeeecreeeet!"

"Ah! That's so sly! Musubi wants to know more about Naruto-san!" The way she puffed her cheeks out was just too cute; Naruto almost gave into the temptation to rub those chubby cheeks of hers.

"Mwahaha! Sorry Musubi-chan, maybe next time. After all, a shinobi is only cool because he has lots of secrets!" Turning to face her, he gave her a very corny thumbs up and showed her his shining teeth that went off with a 'bling'.

"Wow! Naruto-san! Naruto-san! How did you make your teeth shine like that?!"

"That was simple, Musubi-chan! I was simply channeling my inner youthfulness!"

"Really! Can Musubi do that as well?!"

"But of course you can! Saaa, together, we shall be as youthful as can be!"

"Hai! Naruto-san!"

"Musubi-chan!"

"Hai! Naruto-san!"

"One more time, Musubi-chan!"

"Hai! Naruto-san!"

The blond's extremely 'youthful' demeanor dampened somewhat as he paused his footsteps for a few seconds, before lightly patting the confused brunette on the shoulder, "Musubi-chan, I know it's a bit too much to ask for, but can we please pretend that never happened?"

"Eh? How come? That was so cool!" The poor, naïve girl had stars in her eyes now, "I want to learn more youth – "

Clamping his hand down more tightly on Musubi's shoulder, he spoke to her in a grim voice, "Trust me. You do _not_ want to."

"But, but…"

"Please, Musubi-chan, if word gets out I actually did _that_ routine, I'd rather drown myself right now!"

"Wah! Naruto-san! You don't have to cry! Musubi won't tell anyone! Nuh uh! Definitely won't tell anyone!"

"Thank you so much, you're my hero, Musubi-chan."

The pair then resumed their walk along the road, ignoring all the pedestrians that froze on their respective spots, some clawing at their eyes for witnessing that little routine the two just went through.

It was several minutes later, before Musubi gave off a cute giggle.

"Hm? What's wrong Musubi-chan? Thought of something funny?"

"Naruto-san," the brunette was positively beaming at him with all that joy on her face.

"Yes?"

"You're so weird." With that, she broke into blissful laughter as she skipped along the road, wanting to be a few steps ahead of Naruto so she could admire the speechless expression on his face.

The sounds of the crow cawing reverberated through the cool night, "Ahooooo, Ahooooo –"

**X – X **

The pair finally split up at the park, with Naruto deciding to give Musubi one more try. It just wouldn't do for him to help her too much on her way to discover who her ashikabi was. After all, the old saying 'third time's the charm' was there for a reason, and Naruto figured that Musubi would gain much more experience by exploring on her own. As much as he knew of the Sekirei Plan, he didn't want to participate in it unless he absolutely had to. Although given how cute Musubi was, he really wouldn't mind being her ashikabi.

_Just imagine all those cuddling sessions you can have! _

Looking at Musubi always reminded him of a teddy bear for some weird reason. It was quite lucky of him that she still hasn't shown any signs of reacting yet, because Naruto was currently devoid of any essence of power, merely controlling his chakra output to that of a normal human being, one that would _not_ cause excessive and unwanted attraction to Sekirei.

Naruto was able to tell whenever a Sekirei was around. They were like powerhouses exuding energy wherever they went, and for someone who was skilled in Senjutsu like him, it really wasn't that hard to pick up on them.

Just before Musubi left however, Naruto had pulled her into a hug and whispered jokingly that if she ever needed help, she could always find him at a place called Izumo Inn. Musubi had returned the hug quite happily and nodded in affirmative.

"It's such a pity, Naruto-san!"

"Hm? Why's that?"

"Musubi would really have liked for you to be my Ashikabi! But unfortunately, Musubi has yet to feel anything from Naruto-san…" She looked quite down at this, "Naruto-san is the nicest person Musubi has met so far! Naruto-san will surely become a very powerful Ashikabi!"

"Hahaha, if you say so Musubi." Giving her a first view of his foxy grin, the blond wished her the best of luck and bid her goodbye, for now anyway.

He would always think back to this time, how unwilling Musubi was to actually leave him. They would joke about it in the future that fate really was meant to be sometimes.

Sighing as he watched the retreating back of the brunette, Naruto found himself a nice spot on a bench and proceeded to sit and contemplate his next move.

He didn't really feel like going back to Izumo Inn yet. There was just this feeling in his gut that he still had something to do, but he just didn't know what. Shinobi, throughout the ages that they existed, would always learn to trust their sixth sense, simply because sometimes, it was better to be over-paranoid than underprepared.

Thinking it might be Musubi getting into trouble, he decided to sit down and meditate for a bit, just to bide some time as he tried to detect any other presences that might be near him. He was awfully close to the MBI headquarters at this stage, so it wouldn't be surprising if his gut feeling had something to do with them.

Wasting no time at all, his orbs changed pigment, somewhat different to what he used to have as a toad sage because he was now a sage connected to Mother Nature itself, and would retain an appearance that was most natural to himself. The only change that he could make out ever since he started training twenty years ago, was an actual ripple forming in his pupil, before everything returned to normal. That was all he needed to activate Sage mode. Talk about efficiency. Guess there definitely were some perks to losing some of his chakra capacity.

Granted, he still had enough chakra to beat two kages outright, but considering how he used to have the amount of what five kages would have, it was quite a large decrease.

Ah well, win some and lose some. No biggie.

Searching intently for any power source that was close to him, anything that might pose even the slightest of threats to him, Naruto closed his eyes as he tried to pinpoint a location.

It wouldn't be long before he felt his gut sink.

_So it really is MBI headquarters… Just great._

Shutting off Sage mode, Naruto slowly got up, stretched his limbs a bit, making popping noises as he loosened some of his stiff joints, he set off a brisk pace towards his destination.

**X – X **

Run away.

Must escape!

How could he?!

Those were the only thoughts in the mind of a certain Sekirei as she desperately tried to get away from where she was.

She had been so filled with hope that she could be fixed. Even when that moron of a researcher had caused her to reach her potential prematurely, losing her the only chance of being winged, she hadn't given up hope. But now, they gave the final verdict, and were going to lock her in the laboratories to do more research on her…

No! There was no way that she would be denied any longer!

She needed to breathe the fresh air she knew was just a wall away.

She wanted to smell the trees and flowers that were but a few steps away.

She longed to meet someone who could have become her ashikabi, anyone who would want her, she would gladly lay down her life to fulfill whatever purpose he/she might have had for her.

Hardening her gaze, she felt a certain bitterness as she rushed past a hallway filled with mirrors. That Sekirei crest, for the first time in her life, looked ugly and disconcerting. That was the proof staring at her right in her face, mocking her that she would never be able to be winged, just like what that researcher had done.

When she had woken up, all she could hear were the frenzied cries of that insolent whelp. Something had obviously gone wrong with her tuning because she felt way stronger than she should. It was as though she was already at one hundred percent of her power, but that couldn't be! Surely this could be fixed if he would actually reverse whatever it was that he did!

It would be a few hours later when the head researcher Takami had personally come over to apologize to her on the mistake that was made. Her world seemed to collapse when she was informed that she was winged preterm, and that she would not be able to experience the winging process that was the entire purpose of her existence. What's worse, she would never know what her Norito was, what that feeling of love would feel like when her Ashikabi would hold her in his arms, kiss her with affection reserved only for her, and feel for herself that warmth that would arise as the power surged through her veins.

All of that was now for naught. Scrapped number they called her… _Her_… who used to be No. 7, one of the stronger single digits and someone who had high hopes of finding a strong Ashikabi. Having more Sekirei certainly made an Ashikabi stronger, but the fact that some Sekirei were more skilled than others meant that it really was 'quality over quantity' sometimes. She had felt proud when Takami had first informed her of this, and had been looking forward to meeting her destined one all the while, only for this bombshell to be dropped on her.

She didn't even know what to feel.

Hatred? For that stupid, arrogant researcher? Yes, but that wouldn't change anything, would it?

Despair? For not being able to ever feel that sense of ownership to her ashikabi? Maybe…

Anger? For them wanting to still coop her up despite all the damage they've already done?

In the end, it all boiled down to negative emotions, and she didn't like it one bit. She was one of the quieter Sekirei out there, rarely ever speaking up unless she had to. She would constantly be aware of the surroundings, choosing to learn as much as she could by watching and analyzing. She would listen attentively to the chatter around her, picking out whatever she could that could help her in any way possible.

Most thought she was just cold and indifferent, a representation of her powers, but that was incorrect. She just didn't see a point in wasting energy over useless matters. Why should she show any emotion at all over something that would change nothing? Was she supposed to be happy and greet everyone with enthusiasm just because they were adjusting her? Would it even matter?

"Get her! Don't let her escape!"

"Retrieve her at all costs!"

"Send for the Disciplinary Squad!"

Her entire body tensed at the mention of the disciplinary squad. If _that_ woman ever arrived before she could leave the building, it would pretty much eliminate any chances she had in escaping this hellhole. She knew how strong the 'Black Sekirei' was, and with her current state, she doubted that she would be able to hold her off for any more than thirty seconds.

Rushing through the hallways, she desperately tried to make her away towards the back exit as soon as she could. The soldiers rushing behind her and the din that they created only served to heighten the tension within her.

_Just a few more rooms to go and I'll be out of here! _

Gunshots being fired at her were easily repelled by her glacial powers. With a wave of her hand, she created a thick ice shield behind her back, easily defending herself against those bullets. These insolent humans were of no threat to her and they had to know that. So why have they stopped their –

Before she could even continue that line of thought, a nodaichi pierced right through her guard, easily penetrating her torso as she was stopped dead in her tracks. A hard hook to the face followed right after she forcefully removed herself from the blade and hot blistering pain rained down her back as a metal claw caught her right from the shoulder down to the hip.

Not wasting any time to even think about the severity of the injuries she currently had, she used whatever remaining energy she had and aimed it right at the floor beneath her. Adjusting her body position in mid-air, she launched herself right through the glass doors of MBI headquarters, before she landed hard onto the concrete ground of the carpark.

Fresh, cold air blew itself against her face even as she felt her conscious slowly fading away. A rush of footsteps surrounded her before arms grabbed hold of her body, attempting to put her into submission, only for her to resist and send miniature icicles to fend them off.

She could tell that the Black Sekirei was watching her on the sidelines, her bloodlust obvious as it permeated through the dark night sky. Only she would know just how mortally injured she was with that stab of her nodaichi. It had very narrowly missed her Sekirei core, and had that been damaged, then it would have been a Level 5 injury straight away. As it was now, it was still a Level 4, so it wasn't that much better.

She knew what No. 4 was thinking. That Sekirei always had a sadistic streak in her. She wanted her to bleed to a Level 5 injury before she took her back in. Such was the cruel nature of Karasuba, the dog of MBI.

It was then where a voice rang through the area, "Alright that's enough! Who gave you guys orders to manhandle a Sekirei?! Release her this instant!"

A woman with grey hair wearing a lab coat with a black top underneath it was seen rushing to the scene as she barked orders for the military to stand down.

_Sahashi Takami…_ _What was she doing here?_

"But madam, this Sekirei is now useless! It's all her fault that she screwed up the adjusting process! I claim no responsibility to this incident!"

Rage gripped at her as the voice of that _man_ that had ruined her life echoed through the area.

"It's much better to lock her up in the laboratories where we use her as a specimen for – "

**SMACK!**

With one swift move, that obnoxious researcher was sent crashing into the ground, holding his jaw in disbelief as he stared up at Takami, "Y-you, h-how dare y-you!"

What he got in return was an enraged glare from a woman who had lost all patience, "You had better keep your mouth shut if you want to live to see tomorrow. Or would you like to taste firsthand the power of the Disciplinary Squad?"

That was enough to intimidate the man and silence him to his sniffles of pain.

Kneeling down, Takami quickly gave a check of her injuries, before motioning for the medical staff to do some emergency treatment, "Hurry! It's a level 4 injury! She's gonna go into shock soon if we don't do something!"

Wondering just why this woman was helping her, the Sekirei allowed them their administrations, the pills and injections, but to no avail. She could feel it herself, her life was wasting away.

"Leave her be!" A boisterous voice resonated in her ears as she heard Takami swear under her breath.

"What is your problem now, Minaka! Can't you see I'm in the middle of something?!" If looks could kill, Minaka would have died at least a few hundred million times within that last second.

"Hahaha, why so serious Takami-kun? There really is no need to treat her! She's a scrapped number, and seeing how she so wanted to leave the laboratories, I shall grant her that wish!" With dramatic flair, Minaka Hiroto, chairman of MBI corporation announced, "All troops are to return to their normal posts. Medical staff members are to finish their current emergency treatments, nothing more, nothing less! Takami-kun, come there is still much to discuss about – blergh!"

Before he could even finish his sentence, a reeling kick met his face without hesitation as he was trampled into the ground, "Who the _hell_ told you I would be following those orders?! You just shut up and stay down! Medical staff, you're under my command and will do as I say… or _else_…" Her eyes took on a relatively demonic tint, easily convincing them to carry on with their treatment of the fallen Sekirei.

"Urgh, that's so mean of you Takami-kun! But that's what I like about you!" The fact that he got up as if no harm was done to him at all was quite impressive. That or he was used to the physical harm administered to him on a daily basis.

"Minaka, I'm warning you…" Cracking her knuckles, Takami stomped towards the most infuriating man she had ever met in her life.

"Disciplinary Squad, please escort her to my office for now."

"What?!" Within seconds, she was restricted by Benitsubasa and Haihane, leaving a stunned expression on her face as she looked at Minaka, "You would go so far as to send a Sekirei to her death?! What is wrong with you?!"

"Ahahaha! Relax, Takami-kun! This is all for the sake of the game! The holy Sekirei Plan! This is what I love most about the plan, factors that would not have been accounted for would create anomalies in the equation. This is a perfect example of the pleasant surprise I'm talking about!"

"And just how is this situation a pleasant surprise?!" Yelling, Takami tried her best to wrestle her way out of the grasps of the two sekirei but alas, they were just too much stronger than she was.

"A little birdie, born different to others, now facing elimination in a world where survival of the fittest is the golden rule of life. What would possibly be her end? Would she end up with her life wasting away, or would she finally find the thing that she was born to seek for?! Ah, the suspense! I cannot take it any longer!"

"You crazy madass _fool_! Unhand me this instance!"

"Medical Staff, by my orders, you are to finish your current emergency treatments and leave. We shall not interfere with her desire to escape from us! Guards are to stand down and let the disciplinary squad take charge. Once she steps onto that road, she shall no longer be accepted back in the MBI building! Ahahahaha! This is gonna be great – "

At that particular moment, alarms started blaring all over the building, drawing the instant attention of the guards and the disciplinary squad. Without a word, Karasuba rushed off, along with the other two members of the squad, followed by the soldiers. Minaka frowned in displeasure at being interrupted halfway through his speech and could only sigh lamely as he finished off his orders in an anticlimactic manner. Takami on the other hand, could only gape at the coincidence of all this. If she didn't have absolute faith in MBI's security system, then she would go out on a tangent and say that this was actually planned by someone.

"Come Takami-kun, we must return to the laboratories at once!" Without looking back, Minaka was already making his way back into the building.

The grey-haired woman hesitated for a few seconds, took one last look at the Scrapped Number lying on the ground, before rushing off as well. After all, if someone had dared breach their security, she had to make sure none of their secrets were stolen.

The bleeding Sekirei could barely understand what was going on all this time, and only barely managed to retain her consciousness as she felt the treatments coming to an end. By the time she was able to lift her head up, the entire front carpark was rid of people. It was just her alone and the concrete ground. Knowing something must have happened for this retreat, she wasted no time in continuing her escape.

Due to a lack of strength because of the blood loss, she had to half crawl, half drag her body across the carpark, before finally, her entire body left the grounds of the MBI headquarters. Not even daring to stop for a moment, she braved on, forcing herself to ignore the searing pain with each movement she made.

_I will survive this… I must survive this…_

**X – X **

She had no idea how long she had been crawling for, but judging from her surroundings, this was a park of some sort. Her clothing was now in tatters after her fights within MBI headquarters. Pulling herself with what was left of her strength, she forced herself into a sitting position on one of the benches.

_So tired… _

Staring blankly into the ground before her, she could even begin to think of what she should do now. Her injuries were severe and though they have been given some treatment, it was hardly enough. She was never going to return to MBI, so where could she go?

And what would she do after that? Where should she start looking for her Ashikabi? Where would she be staying on cold nights like this? How was she going to get food for herself?

Question after question bombarded her already fragile mind as she slowly felt the fatigue creep into her once again. Somehow, she felt like laughing. Just like before, she sat alone on the bench, all by herself, not commenting when everyone else had made friends with each other.

_In the end, I guess that man was right… what good am I if I can't be winged? I really am broken… _

It was then, that sounds of a car screeching to a halt resonated through the area. The Sekirei really wasn't paying much attention to her surroundings anymore. Disappointment filled her even as she felt weakness in every fibre of her being. She was just… so tired…

"Ne, ne! Mutsu! That's the one you were telling me about, isn't it? The one you said had escaped!" A childish voice made its presence known as its owner entered the area, bouncing on the tips of his feet in excitement at the possibility of winging another Sekirei.

"Yes, but I doubt she would be of any use to you though Mikogami. She is suffering from quite severe injuries. Besides, she can't be winged." The ever so silent Mutsu spoke up in a calm tone, easily dismissing his Ashikabi's excitement.

"Eeeeh?! What do you mean can't be winged?" The slim teenager whined as though he had just been denied his favorite toy, "But I want her!"

At that, the sekirei's ears twitched slightly, her amber eyes slowly glanced over to where that boy was debating with what appeared to be his Sekirei.

_He… wants me? What for? I'm just a broken tool now, what could I possibly bring to the table?_

"She's not going to be of any use to you, Mikogami. She can't use a Norito." Mutsu sighed in exasperation.

"So what?! It'll be fun to have her with us! She'll be like our mascot or something, I don't know, I don't care! I just want her with me!" It seemed like the brown-haired boy was now throwing a tantrum.

"She needs treatment immediately, and unfortunately, you don't own a hospital. What are you going to do?"

"Who cares! As long as I can have her for one minute, I don't care! She's gonna be my new toy!"

_He only wants me… for a toy…? _

A bitter smile rose to her lips as she understood the current situation. She could already feel her body going into shock.

_I guess… this is the end of my little adventure. I'm sorry, my Ashikabi, wherever you are. There are so many things that I wanted to do for you. I had imagined how I would love you, cherish you and protect you with my entire being, cutting down all that stood in your way, obeying your every order and accomplishing all that you wish to achieve. I wanted to be held by you, in your arms, where you would softly whisper to me just how much you loved me, and all those sweet words that would make me feel like I'm the most loved being in the world. _

Slowly closing her eyes, tuning out the ranting of that teenage boy, she chose to enjoy her last moments on this world, even as she felt her life slipping away.

_My dear Ashikabi, if you had been able to meet me had my adjusting turned out correct, what would you think of me? I know I don't talk a lot, and I seem pretty forgetful at times, but I know you wouldn't mind. You would simply flick my forehead every time I forgot something and tease me playfully. _

_If only… I could meet you… even for just awhile… just for me to tell you how much I want to be with you…_

_Ikuhisashiku (__幾久しく – __Forever Eternal) …_

Just as she was prepared to meet her end, a pair of strong arms gently circled themselves around her torso, with a pale green light covering her entire body before a soft voice whispered to her, "To think that you would go so far… I only hope you can forgive me for being so selfish."

_What… who… who are you?_

"I am your ashikabi, the one to protect you as you sleep, the one to stay beside you as you live, and the one to love you for eternity. I swear by my honour as a Sennin, that I will never let you be alone ever again."

_Really? You won't abandon me? I cannot be winged, I'm but a failed product, a broken tool, do you still want me even when you know all this?_

"Yes."

_Thank you, even if it was a lie, I thank you._

"Haha, do you think I need to lie to my own Sekirei?"

_Ah… what do you mean?_

"Can you not feel the bond that is between us? I am speaking to you directly through our link, can you not feel it?"

_This warm feeling… those words you speak… but how can it be? I cannot be winged…_

"Bonds come in all forms. I believe my chakra has successfully imprinted onto your core by now, surely you can feel it?

_Ah, yes. I can feel it spiraling through my entire body, such a nice feeling… _

"Do you trust me, my Sekirei-chan?"

_... I… I…_

"It's okay, take your time."

… _Yes… my Ashikabi-sama._

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto, nice to meet ya."

_Hehe, what a strange name._

"Yeah, I get that a lot."

_Well then, my Ashikabi-sama, Sekirei No. 7, Akitsu, the Ice Sekirei, at your service._

"Welcome to my world, Aki-chan."

Before she knew it, the scenery changed as her eyes slowly fluttered open. The pain that used to mar her torso was now completely gone. She now felt clearly the arms of the man who was currently holding her, only this time, he was sitting with her face-to-face.

Studying his features, she felt her heart beat just that much faster, but quickly passed it off as something else. There was no point thinking that she was reacting to him if she couldn't be winged.

All in all, he fitted the image which she had painted multiple times for what she had imagined her Ashikabi would be like. Tall, strong, blond hair, a face with a feral quality that had her blushing to no end, and a voice so soft and gentle that she could feel the raw love behind it.

Not caring that she no longer seemed to be in the park anymore, nor the fact that they were both naked as the day they were born, her amber orbs stared into his sky-blue ones, seeing for herself the genuine concern, affection and care he had for her even as he pulled her towards him for a gentle hug.

The silence was broken as she accepted the hug, tears slowly beginning to fall as she finally realized that this was not a dream, she really was hugging the man that was speaking to her just now. "Thank you, Ashikabi-sama."

Her master only raised an eyebrow, before giving her a playful smirk, "You thought I was lying to you, eh?"

Blushing, she sputtered to gather a suitable response, only to find her chin lifted up, allowing their eyes to make contact once more.

Those beautiful cerulean eyes, windows to his soul, telling her so much about his personality and character, as though she had known him for a very long time…

"I will be your Ashikabi. I will protect, cherish and whisper sweet words to you whenever I can. I shall tease you whenever you do something silly and flick your forehead whenever you forget about something." Naruto smiled softly as he gently wiped off the tears that were now falling without restraint, "And I will love you Aki-chan, with all my heart. Will you accept me as your Ashikabi?"

"Yes! Yes I will!" Falling into his embrace, Akitsu couldn't help but sob in despair and sorrow, "I'm so sorry that I couldn't be of more use to you, Ashikabi-sama! I wish, oh how I wish I could make you feel just how much I love you! I… I…"

Instead of agreeing with her, Naruto simply leaned into her face, his forehead touching hers even as her eyes shone of regret and dismay, "Then show me."

With that, his arms circled around her waist, gently pulled her towards him and kissed her.

It was such a simple act, something that he hadn't done for heaven knows how long, but it felt right. He could already feel the bond between them forming, him from his chakra core, her from her Sekirei core. It was something mystical-like and acted on both a physical and mental level. He could literally 'feel' her, as though she was one with him, and just like that, all her emotions poured into him in a rushing torrent.

Her desperation in wanting to reassure that she truly thanked him and loved him.

Her despair and disappointment that she could never be winged.

And finally, her confusion and surprise at how she knew that he was feeling everything she felt a few moments ago.

Akitsu would never forget that day when wings of a bright aqua burst into life during their intimate kiss. The sense of peace and satisfaction that filled her entire body like a warm liquid flowing soothingly through her veins would be a precious memory to her for the years to come.

Disengaging from the kiss, the ice Sekirei could only stare in disbelief at the wings that have just now dissipated. Her dumbfounded expression brought a chuckle to her Ashikabi and with a kiss on her forehead, he whispered for her to check whether her Sekirei crest was where it should be.

Still caught up in the recent chain of events, she numbly followed his words and rested her hand behind her neck. In an instant, she knew it was there, the pulsing energy that rolled off it in waves, and shape of it and the imprint of her Ashikabi's energy so familiar and clear.

Still unable to take in the fact that she had actually undergone the winging process, she could only murmur in wonder, "But… how?"

Chuckling at how cute his Sekirei looked at the moment, Naruto gave a nonchalant shrug before answering, "Let's just say, some friends of mine in the lifestream helped me out."

"Lifestream? What do you mean – Ah!" Before she could continue with the sentence, a certain action by Naruto was enough to have her blushing to the neck.

"Unfortunately, Aki-chan, I can't answer your questions yet. I believe we have more important matters to attend to right now."

"A-a-as-shik-kabi-sama?" Her voice was quivering as the blond gently eased himself into her, his eyes filled with desire.

"You are mine Akitsu, for now and eternity, just like I am yours." With an intensity that took the ice sekirei by storm, Naruto captured her lips once more as she felt that dizzy feeling once again as pleasant sensations began to arise from certain areas of her anatomy.

The love and lust he felt for her was clear as the sky, and to her own surprise, she felt her need and want for him was what had egged him on. They were truly sharing a bond now, emotionally and physically, on a level she would never have imagined possible. She could feel her entire soul melting into his, and all of a sudden, the need to feel him, touch him, _love_ him became almost unbearable.

_Yes, my Ashikabi-sama, take me!_

Even as she experienced ecstasy beyond her wildest dreams, almost to the point where she felt like any more happiness and she would burst, she knew what he was doing. He was claiming her as his own so that no matter what may happen in the future, their bond would always remain firm. Again and again, he brought her to the highest heights, never letting her fall before driving her once again to a shattering frenzy that threatened to engulf her soul. After what seemed to be an eternity, she let out one long, satisfied sigh, before resting limply against the blond who barely even looked like he was panting, though the thin sheet of sweat that covered his body would say otherwise.

With an alluring smile that the previous Akitsu would never have known, she once again pulled her Ashikabi-sama close to her, their foreheads touching, lips barely milimetres apart, their breathing synchronized as they quietly enjoyed the silence around them.

"Just who are you, my Ashikabi-sama?" Her voice was light and playful, though still retaining some of that cool tone she used to speak with, making it an eccentric combination that seemed all the more enticing to the blond, who was currently sporting a grin so wide it threatened to split his face.

"Why you already know the answer, Aki-chan, I am your Ashikabi of course, for as long as you would like me to be."

"Hehe, then it's settled. _Ikuhisashiku__, ne?_" _(Forever eternal, right?)_

"_Haha, wagata… __Ikuhisashiku__ da yo… Akitsu…_ " _(Yes Akitsu, forever eternal.)_

* * *

_**Alright, that should be enough. Man this chapter was twice as long as I wanted it to be. I just couldn't stop once I got to Akitsu's part. I've never read anyone talk about her escape and how she would have felt during that period of time, so I went out and tried to describe it as best as I could. **_

_**You would notice that she seemed quite different compared to the one in Canon, seeing how she seemed to be talking a lot more, less clumsy and thinking a lot more than she should be, right? My explanation for that would be how one would feel in a life and death situation. Akitsu, to me, feels like the kind of person who would think a lot, but just never voice whatever it was she was thinking. Hence why she doesn't talk a lot. I've decided to make her feel a bit more, because I can only imagine how incredibly happy she would be once she actually realized she had been successfully winged. The emotions would be equivalent to someone being told they were going to die in three hours, but then made a full recovery in the next ten minutes or so. **_

_**As for the last bit, the mating was kinda unexpected. It has something to do with the way I allowed Akitsu to be winged, which you might have noticed, I haven't given any explanation for. It'll be touched upon at later stages, so for now, just go along with it. **_

_**And finally, ufufufufu, you guys didn't think I would make Akitsu his first one, did you?! EH?! Admit it, you didn't! Wahahaha! **_

_**Now please review and tell me your thoughts, I reckon I deserve it after putting quite a bit of effort into this one. Also, I'll try and update it as soon as I can, but do realize that once it reaches weekdays, my speed will slow down, because I gotta work. I'll try to update a lot on weekends but I can't guarantee anything. **_

_**Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Until next time, Wilson, signing out. =D**_


	3. Chapter 2: Just a Coincidence

_**A/N: Some people have complained that I use too much Japanese in the midst of my dialogue sometimes, I'm sorry to say I just can't help it. It's like me watching anime in jap dub, so when I think sometimes, I tend to think using words like that, and besides, it's more fun that way. I always use Jap for jutsu, though I'll try to cut down on the whole sentences of Jap. **_

_**Another major thing that people brought was that Earth doesn't beat Lightning in Narutoverse. That actually completely slipped my mind. When I mentioned the elemental cycle, I**__** didn't realize I was working with the Five Elemental generation cycle that involved wood, and hence I put down Earth beats lightning. (Even then I should have been using the destruction cycle, but meh, I was tired).**_

_**Even so, it could still work last chapter, because what that jutsu did wasn't really a wall or encampment, but more of a restriction. Earth doesn't conduct electricity, so by doing that, they were temporarily unable to break through. It's a technicality, but it can still work. But from now on, I'll try and abide the Narutoverse elemental rules. (If I went back to change it, it would have been wind vs lightning… kinda hard to think of a jutsu that won't look weird in modern society AND could trap the twins to let Musubi escape… might need like a tornado or something which would just be plain overkill, so let's just stick with earth for last chapter.)**_

_**A few of you noted how Naruto seemed to change personalities quite wildly, and I thought it would be good explain here as well that two thousand years of experience each from 7 clones is a lot to take in, even in twenty years. That's the reason why Naruto was so 'youthful'. **_

_**Alright, chapter 2 coming up. Do Enjoy it. =D**_

* * *

A Second Journey

Chapter 2: Just a Coincidence

The Sekirei Crest, a symbol of ownership to those who have been winged by their Ashikabi. It was truly a magnificent thing, how the Sekirei were all born with such an artifact on them, restraining them from reaching their full potential before they matured enough.

What had actually caught Naruto's attention, was the yin-yang seal at the bottom of the crest. That was what had got him to think about what he could actually do to dissect it, analyze it and work through it.

Just a few hours ago, he had followed his instinct, arrived at the MBI headquarters, and witnessed the entire procedure of Akitsu's escape. It was he who had a clone trigger the security alarms present to act as a diversion. He could have helped the Ice Sekirei at many different intervals, but in the end he chose not to, simply for the fact that he still wasn't sure if he wanted to be involved in all this.

A thousand years ago, when his clones had discovered the spaceship, he had already known the 'trouble' it would bring to modern society. The technology present on the spaceship was far too impressive. Just why did they choose to crash on Earth of all planets? Why were there already a pillar, seven infants and one hundred other embryos? Did that number pose a hint of some sort? Was there a hidden meaning waiting for humans to salvage? There was just too little information for him to go by and besides, MBI seemed to be doing a good job of it anyway, so he decided to simply leave it and let fate do its work.

He couldn't control everything in this world after all, seeing the effort that it would take him would be incredible. Naruto was never one for a 'god-complex' where he _must_ know about everything that was going on. The reason for creating Trinity Inc by his clones was probably to provide him a way to ensure that peace could be maintained. The power of wealth and resources was enough for all the countries to think twice about crossing a corporation as great as theirs, which was another reason why MBI was so successful. The technology they had, the breakthroughs they made were all crucial for a country's development. The greed of the government ensured that they would be the only ones to benefit from such breakthroughs, which would in turn give them the protection that they wanted. Naruto was doing the same thing with Trinity Inc, only that he was doing it in the Western part of the worlds.

That being said, he was still hesitant in joining something as pointless as the Sekirei Plan. It was obvious this Minaka person was just a lunatic playing with his new found toys, or rather, forcing the new found toys to play for him. So far, Naruto had yet to witness the man do something seriously dangerous, and hence felt no need to take action against him. You've got to let the antagonists have their fun before you destroy them after all; it was like a universal rule or something.

So he sat back and watched from the shadows. The blond could easily read the thoughts that were going through the Ice Sekirei's mind seeing how he had activated Sage Mode and locked his own chakra on to her being, and to say that he was shocked by the absolute _devotion_ she had towards finding one that would love her would be a severe understatement. This was the first time since he woke up that he actually felt overwhelmed by the emotions present within an individual, much less a Sekirei that was suffering from a Level 4 injury, soon to be level 5.

Naruto watched on as she slowly dragged her way to the park, his heart wrenching in pain as he had to force himself to hold back the urge to save her right then and there. He knew that would not be something the Sekirei wanted. She wanted to try and find for herself, the Ashikabi she had always dreamed of, not given to her out of pity. It was just so daunting to see a woman who was bleeding so profusely, relentlessly drag herself across the concrete, ignoring how much pain she was in, disregarding whether or not she might die in the next minute or two, and just keep on with her pace.

The final straw for Naruto was when she had looked so lonely on the bench by herself, her thoughts filled with her desire to be with her one and only. Mutters of how she was broken and useless were all he could take before he finally decided to take action. Though it should be noted that the stupid brat who was yapping on the side was also beginning to get on his nerves, but that was just a minor reason.

_This is so nostalgic, it's just like Haku the second. But I guess Haku still had Zabuza despite all that… This poor thing doesn't have anyone at all. Ah what the heck, who cares how stupid this Sekirei Plan could end up? There's no reason for me not to do anything simply because I fear of things that have yet to happen! I am Uzumaki Naruto damn it, who the heck am I afraid of?!_

It was then where he cast his speciality jutsu – Space/Time jutsu. He had been researching it for the last fifty years of his life, so naturally it would be something he was quite familiar with. Many people wondered what exactly the other dimensions out there were, and what could possibly be done to manipulate them. Naruto had dedicated his research to that particular question and had a better understanding of it than probably anyone in the world ever did, surpassing his father with ease. He wasn't the most unpredictable ninja for nothing.

After his interaction with Mother Nature and the lifestream, he gained an even better understanding of Time, and how its power was so absolute and glorious that any of the other elements would pale in comparison to it. He had actually zoomed in on the crest that was present on the Sekirei's forehead, broken it down in another dimension even as he was speaking to her through the mental bond he had established with her using his Sage chakra, took the time to make sure he had his facts right, then after he was satisfied with how the Sekirei felt and realizing what he had to do to 'cure' her, Naruto allowed her into the dimension he was working in.

The only real downside of doing all that was extreme exhaustion afterwards, but seeing how Naruto had quite a fountain of chakra, it would simply mean depleting all his reserves in one go. He would still be healthy and awake, but definitely not be in any position to fight afterwards. For Naruto, when he first discovered this, he figured it was a fair price to pay. It's not like he would lose limbs and all that, and chakra could always be regenerated, it just took a while.

That being said, the solution was actually really simple. At least, for Naruto it was. The reason why the researchers could not reverse the damage done was because the crest had already been 'locked in'. It was under the impression that the Sekirei had already reached full potential, and hence the limiter all Sekirei was born with kicked in to prevent any further growth of the Sekirei. Had she actually undergone the winging process, that natural limiter would have been shut off after the Ashikabi's DNA imprint was successful, and she would really be allowed to reach her 'true potential'. This was not something current technology could overcome, seeing how it would mean completely restructuring the Sekirei's DNA, which would be equal to creating a Sekirei from scratch. Way too much risk and trouble.

For the blond shinobi however, that crest was just another seal to him. After breaking the seal equation down, he realized that the yin-yang symbol was the key, and the four commas surrounding it only acted as secondary seals to back up the main function of the Sekirei Crest. At first he thought the wagtail symbol meant absolutely nothing, as surprising as it was to discover. Perhaps it was a way to identify her as a Sekirei?

Not giving that much thought, he had drawn upon his Sage chakra, deciphered the seal as his forehead met with Akitsu the first time as he diverted her attention away from what he was doing with little chit-chat, then by establishing a connection with Mother Nature, he was able to force open the yin-yang 'clamp' and 'cleanse' the essence of the Sekirei, effectively reconfiguring the balances of energy within the Sekirei, and that was the reason why the Akitsu had felt the spiral of energy within her.

By the time they had kissed, Naruto had already ensured that the components of the seal were now in perfect harmony and hence, it was then possible for Akitsu to be winged.

Ah, the joys of knowing fuinjutsu, still useful even after two thousand years in modern society.

He was, however, taken aback by how strongly he could feel his Sekirei's emotions and how much effect they had on him for the first time. It was like his most carnal desires were being brought out of him, forcing him to understand just how much she loved him. That desire was then transferred over back to her, where she understood just how much he needed her, given his current state of 'exhaustion' in terms of chakra reserves, and sure enough, both their brains then proceeded to give them the most logical order – they had commanded them to mate.

It was then that Naruto truly understood the need for the little wagtail picture to be above the yin-yang construct. One of the basics in Fuinjutsu was that everything had to be balanced in this world for things to grow. A certain amount of yin and a corresponding amount of yang had to be maintained if growth was to be expected. A prime example would be the process of reproduction, females being the 'yin' part of it, males being the 'yang' part of it.

_Could she… was she actually able to feel the exact balance that was required for us to be in top form?!_

Yes, that was the thing. The Sekirei were _born_ with the ability to control the balance of energy within them and their ashikabi. A simple example would be how they used Norito. Why was it that kissing their Ashikabi gave them the power they needed to unleash a power that was otherwise sealed? They needed a specific type of energy that was compatible with their own to fill in the missing pieces! That was the whole purpose of the winging process! To establish the yin-yang balance within themselves!

Having understood that, Naruto had no more doubts of what the mating session would do for him. Even as they finally became one, the blond shinobi could feel his chakra growing at an alarming rate. It was as though someone was recharging the battery within him, and he could only laugh in realization as Akitsu gazed up at him with those loving eyes.

Sekirei really were meant to be with humans of the opposite sex…

_Poor Mutsu, I'm sure he too realizes that he can't ever reach the same potential as the others; that must mean that he figured his current ashikabi was more important to him than simply gaining more power._

Feeling the change in her Ashikabi, Akitsu rested her head affectionately on his shoulder, placing tender kisses along his neckline before murmuring, "Penny for your thoughts?"

Shaking his head, Naruto merely grinned, "Just thinking about how I should explain to the landlady when we get home. I'm pretty sure she doesn't permit acts like this within the building."

"Ehhh?" Nuzzling his chin, the Ice Sekirei put on a pitiful pout, "But it feels so – "

Watching the blush that slowly grew on her cheeks, the blond couldn't help but laugh once again.

_It has been quite a while since I've been able to laugh like this. I should be thanking you, Aki-chan…_

"You know, now that you've mentioned it, where exactly are we?" Akitsu, for the first time since she's been here, paid more attention to her surroundings. She had more pressing matters before, and hence failed to care too much about it, but now that she's focused, she could literally feel a force field around the area where they were currently at.

"Have a guess?" He replied playfully, caressing her cheek at the same time.

"Hm…" Leaning into his touch, the Ice Sekirei frowned slightly, her eyes tense and concentrated as she tried to think of an answer that she knew her Ashikabi expected her to know.

From what she could tell, they were literally in a different place, nothing like the park she was in before. Considering how he had actually talked to her while she was sitting on the bench, and the next thing she knew, he was here by her side, then that must mean…

"It can't be. Just how strong are you?" Her eyes widened as she came to the realization as to what Naruto must have done.

Her Ashikabi simply gave her a shrug, before grinning, "Didn't you just find that out?" Wagging his eyebrows, one could just tell that his inner pervert was showing again.

Blushing harder than ever, the Ice Sekirei could only hold her cheeks in embarrassment, "Mo, Ashikabi-sama… "

Watching her fidget uncomfortably, Naruto flicked her on the forehead, earning a cute 'itai' from her, "So? Are you still gonna go with that brat out there who wanted you to be his toy?"

Akitsu almost gave in to the urge to roll her eyes even as her ashikabi asked that question. Seriously, was he trying to be funny?

"Ah, ah, ah! You have to answer my question Aki-chan!"

"… No…" _Is she actually glaring at me?_

"Alright, alright, jokes aside, it really has been a long day. Why don't you try out your powers now that they've stabilized?"

Blinking, the Ice Sekirei glanced at her palm, before giving a firm nod, "Hai, Ashikabi-sama."

Seeing her determination, Naruto couldn't help but reminisce the time when Haku fought him with a renewed confidence after knowing just how much Zabuza had cared for him. The want to be needed really resided in everyone's hearts it would seem.

"Just one last thing, Aki-chan."

"Hm?"

"Call me by name, will ya?"

"… Ah… Hai… Naruto-sama."

"Sigh, you just had to add the sama in. You really don't need to respect me this much, you know? Why I – "

"No." Her tone was firm this time, unwilling to relent on this particular point.

Naruto blinked foolishly for a few seconds, before asking tentatively, "Er, Aki-chan?"

"Naruto-sama is my ashikabi, the one to save me from my sorrow, to give me hope and joy, and most importantly, he gave me the chance to attempt all the things that I could only dream of doing. I will show him the respect that he deserves. Anyone who dares speak to him in any disrespectful way, I will make sure to eliminate them." Her eyes burned with a resolve that Naruto honestly didn't expect from her, at least not for something like this.

"No, no, it's okay Aki-chan. Besides, I don't want to be respected all day long. Sometimes, it is better to joke around about things like that, so there's no need to kill someone just for my sake." Stroking her soft, brown hair, Naruto pulled her in for an embrace, "I don't want a killing machine to defend my honour; I want the Aki-chan that was thinking all those loving thoughts when we first connected. I want the original you, Akitsu, nothing more, nothing less."

Feeling the sincerity in his words, the Ice Sekirei could not help but smile amorously once more, "I understand, Naruto-sama. I won't disappoint you."

"Sweet, now go out there, and show them what you do with stupid brats that make outrageous claim, ne?"

"Hai, Naruto-sama!"

**X – X **

The sight that greeted Akitsu's eyes when she opened her eyes once more was the soothing scenery of the night sky. Blinking, her pupils slowly regained focus as the bickering of a certain brat continued. Turning her head slightly, she took a closer look at her surroundings, only to find that she was right back in the park. The fact that was surprising was that not much time seemed to have passed at all. The proof that she got was how No. 5 and his ashikabi were still in the exact positions as they were when she had 'disappeared' from the park, with the young whelp raging about how he wanted her for his new toy.

This proved her theory of what exactly her Ashikabi had done, and she couldn't help but feel immense pride welling up within her. To think that he would have access to such power amazed her to no end. What happened to all those lectures by the researchers that it was the Sekirei who would have the definite edge when it came to strength, speed and pure destructive supremacy? From the looks of it, her Ashikabi was capable of a much wider variety of abilities if he was able to _stop time_ and then pick it up as though nothing happened whatsoever! Mutsu didn't even realize what was going on here!

Suddenly, a fear gripped Akitsu, and without any hesitation, she rushed over to the fountain that was located just a few steps away from her bench.

"Ah! She's getting away! Hurry, Mutsu!" Mikogami shrieked in a panicked tone.

"Sigh... Why do I even bother?" Groaning in exasperation, the Ground Sekirei disappeared in a blur, unsheathing his blade in the process, "I would say 'sorry', but as you know, an Ashikabi's orders are absolute."

Akitsu paid no attention to him at all, even when he was right behind her, katana poised and ready to strike. Without even thinking, she simply waved her hand behind her, muttering, "Icicle Barrier."

Imagine the surprise on the No. 5 Sekirei's face as icicles started bursting out from the ground directly beneath him, forcing him to change his direction at the last moment, barely evading the strike.

_Wasn't she supposed to be severely injured?_

The Earth Sekirei did a backflip in the air, easily steadying himself before he rammed his sword into the ground, sending blocks of earth right at the somewhat dazed Akitsu.

Without a single care for it, she simply waved her hand once more, launching those icicles of hers right into those rocks, easily nullifying the attack. Her eyes however, never left the fountain as she gazed right into the water, watching her reflection ripple with the water.

"It... really is true then..."

Mutsu raised an eyebrow as he charged out of the rubble created from their last attack, before coming to a dead stop. His eyes widened in shock as he now stared at the Ice Sekirei face-to-face for the first time.

"What are you doing, Mutsu?! Hurry up and grab her... ah..." Mikogami who had had enough of waiting for the Earth Sekirei to grab him his new toy, had taken it upon himself to try and speed up the process by barking orders at him, only to find himself staring at the 'toy' he was looking for, with something almost akin to awe.

Where a large, Sekirei crest should have been branded on her forehead, now resided nothing but her pale, porcelain skin. Tears could be seen running down her cheeks as she gave them what was perhaps the most beautiful and dazzling smile to ever grace her lips. One could almost feel the happiness that was currently emanating from her, generating something like an aura even as she whispered in her cool, soft voice, "My Ashikabi awaits me."

Mikogami and Mutsu found themselves rooted to the spot, with the young Ashikabi gaping with his mouth wide open. This... this... this was just too much of a contrast from the one he had seen just minutes ago! How could something so broken be so... so...

"Thank you." The Ice Sekirei smiled even as Mikogami tried to get his head around why he was being thanked.

"If it weren't for your appearance, I would never have thought things through clearly enough to understand what I truly wanted." Closing her eyes and remembering the warm feeling that spread through her entire body every time her Ashikabi whispered those three incredible words in her ear, she continued, "Had you come a few minutes later, I might have been resigned to my fate and decided to leave with you. But as it is," Her amber eyes reopened, showing within them a determination and resolve that was captivating beyond words, "I thank you for wanting me, even if it wasn't for the reasons I had hoped for."

"I... You... But..." Words seemed to fail the young Ashikabi as he struggled to find a way to reply to the Sekirei in front of him. He had a feeling that he had already lost her, but he still wanted to give it one more try somehow, just to see if he could still get her.

Akitsu simply smiled, before bowing once more, this time to Mutsu instead, "Thank you, for trying to stop him from taking me forcefully the first time round."

With that, she gave them one final nod, before leaping into the air, intent on finding just where her Ashikabi was hiding.

"Ah... Wait a minute! Mutsu! She's getting away! Get her!" It took him a while, but Mikogami finally made the connection between the supposed 'scrapped number' jumping off in the opposite direction and how he probably wasn't going to get a 'new toy' if he simply stood there and watched like a fool.

"Mikogami, she's already been winged. There really is no point – "

"I don't care! I want her! GO!"

"Sigh..." Without another word, the Earth Sekirei rushed off after his target, ready to take her down with minimal fuss if possible.

Before long, the two Sekirei were engaged in a projectile combat, with Akitsu mainly on the defensive seeing how she wasn't that intent on battling right now. She had more pressing matters at the moment, so she was more diverting any rock blasts sent at her as she continued to speed off at an alarming pace.

"Smashing point!" Once again, Mutsu landed with grace that was otherwise unexpected from males, before slamming the butt of his scabbard into the ground, generating rock fissures as shockwaves pulsed all around him.

Akitsu retaliated with elegance of her own, mimicking his move but using ice instead. "Icicle Strike!"

Just like before, the two attacks collided right on with each other, neither really doing much in the damage department to either Sekirei. It was quite obvious that unless Mutsu was able to get closer to Akitsu and force her into close-quarter combat, there really would be no point in launching projectile attacks anymore.

"I have many questions that I want to ask, but it doesn't look like you will answer them, does it?" Mutsu muttered as he eyed the Ice Sekirei cautiously.

Realizing that he wasn't going to be getting a reply, other than the icy stare he was receiving, Mutsu could only grumble in annoyance, "You know you can't get away from me, even if my attacks can't reach you now, I'll be able to keep up with you. You don't have as much stamina as I do, so I don't see why you can't just come quietly. It would save me a lot of trouble and you get to rest after your miraculous winging."

Unbeknownst to Mutsu, Akitsu wasn't exactly paying attention to him. She was thinking back to that mischievous grin her beloved Ashikabi had on even as he told her to 'try out' her powers. For some reason, the Ice Sekirei was sure that her blond master had something else in mind when it came to her powers. Even before she was 'winged', she had experimented on all her abilities and found that she could control them with ease, so why did he feel that she would need to try out something new?

Unless...

_No, it can't be... But how would he know that I can... Ah..._

Ignoring the twitching Mutsu (who was annoyed that he had been ignored all this time), Akitsu raised her right hand, and aimed it directly at the No. 5 Sekirei, "I'm sorry, I need to try something out."

Without even waiting for a reply from a skeptical Mutsu, the Ice Sekirei began chanting, and with each word that left her pale lips, an aqua aura shimmered around her entire body, "By the frosts of my pledge!"

"What the..." Didn't a Sekirei need to be _kissed_ before they could use their Norito?

"Freeze the demons of my Ashikabi!"

"Shi - " Before Mutsu could even begin his evasion, torrents of ice rushed the entire forest area, encasing all objects that stood in its way, covering the entire area in a firm layer of frost.

Mutsu, who had just barely gotten out of the way, was about to breathe a sigh of relief, when a second reinforced blast was aimed straight in his direction with her left hand, the increased speed catching him by surprise as it successfully ensnared him in an icy coffin.

The Ice Sekirei then lifted her fingers to her lips, kissed it once gently, before holding them out in front of her, "Diamond Dust."

With a resounding snap of her fingers, the entire area exploded in a frenzy of white, engulfing everything that was covered by frost, leaving the entire region clean and devoid of life.

It was quite lucky for Mutsu as the guy had procured another rock fissure the moment the ice coffin shattered around him, temporarily shielding him from the ice attack. He had taken the brunt of the damage, gritted his teeth as he withstood it and quickly designed his route of escape. Even then, it had taken everything he had to be able to get out of the way of the overwhelming blast. Having a wide-area effect attack as your Norito certainly made you all the more dangerous.

It would seem that the 'scrapped number' really was winged, and to think she would hold such power within her. It was just unthinkable as to how strong she would be once the bond between herself and her ashikabi grew stronger.

If possible, he would still like to ask how it was that she was able to use her Norito in the absence of her Ashikabi, but seeing how he was now sporting Level Three injuries that include a third-degree frostbite on his left leg, broken femur in his right leg, broken ribs and second-degree frostbite on his chest muscles, plus plain exhaustion after having to escape from such an unexpected attack, he decided he had other things to prioritize.

_Ha, looks like I really am getting soft... To think that __I__, No. 5, would be __defeated so completely by a Single Digit behind me__..._

A harsh coughing fit caught him the moment he reached safe ground just a few feet away from the fountain they had started out in the park, catching his Ashikabi by surprise.

"Mutsu!" It would seem that the young Sekirei was not without compassion for his strongest Sekirei, "Mutsu! What happened?! Why are you coughing up blood?!"

The Earth Sekirei could only grimace as he tried to count how many ribs of his were broken from the last attack, "She used her norito."

"What?! Her Ashikabi's around here?! Why didn't I see him?!"

"I don't know," Wincing at the pain in his lower limbs, Mutsu gritted his teeth, "In any case, we need to get out of here, it's far too dangerous if enemies of ours catch us in a state like this."

"Ah! Yes, you're right! We need to get you to MBI's hospital this instance!" Then rushing towards the car, he opened the door for his precious Sekirei, "Come on! You're gonna die at this rate!"

It took all of Mutsu's patience to not kill his Ashikabi right then and there, "Mikogami, I can't walk, in case you didn't realize that."

"Well I can't carry you, can I? I'm too small!" Waving his thin arms around, one would say that the kid had a point. Mutsu was both taller and heavier than him, and with his current injuries, he didn't really want to be dropped over and over like a rag doll on his way to the car.

Telling himself repeatedly that Mikogami was just a kid and it was normal for him to forget things every now and then, Mutsu did his best to keep his voice even, "Maybe you could give MBI hospital a ring for them to _pick _me up?"

"Oh." Silence ensued for a few seconds, before Mikogami bopped his fist into his other free palm, "I see! Yeah! Why didn't I think of that?" Then it took him another two minutes to actually find his cellphone, another three minutes to find the MBI headquarter number from his phone and when he finally got around to calling the MBI hospital, he had to find the address of where they were exactly before the MBI Medical staff could come grab them, so that took quite a while once again.

By the time the medical staff actually got here, Mutsu was already very close to unleashing his norito just to kill his Ashikabi. As he was lifted swiftly onto the stretcher, he had to constantly remind himself that it was wrong to kill your own Ashikabi, especially if it was someone you picked yourself, and how he didn't want to kiss the person he wanted to kill just before he killed them.

**X – X **

After unleashing her Norito for the first time in her life, Akitsu could only stare at the sheer amount of destruction that it caused. She had known she was strong before; after all, she was a single digit, but to think that the Norito really could bring Sekirei's powers to a new height...

This was just unbelievable! For so long, she had dreamt of being able to use her Norito, wondering just how strong it would be, and now that she had seen it, it just brought the adrenaline surging through her veins! She felt so excited at the fact that she had just defeated No. 5 with _her_ Norito! Hers!

She would have been able to fight him to a stalemate with just her normal powers, but what she had just witnessed was something akin to overkill. Half the forest was covered in ice! Rarely would one ever expect to see Akitsu smiling like she was now, it was a smile that was filled excitement, restless energy and sheer gratitude at what her Ashikabi had done for her.

Just a few hours ago, she was still a scrapped number, ready to give herself to anyone who wanted her, regardless of reasons, and look at how she was now!

Oh, the warmth that filled her entire body as she unleashed that Norito was glorious! It brought her back to the special dimension, where her Ashikabi had shown his love for her, and now that love was flowing through her Sekirei core. She relished that feeling, the nirvana that swept her off her feet even as she hugged her own arms around her torso, trying to physically keep that feeling within her, unwilling to let it escape her grasp.

It was pure bliss.

Thinking about all this instantly made her remember that she was still trying to search for her Ashikabi, and without a moment's hesitation, she leapt off into the distance once more. She knew that No. 5 was in no condition to carry out a pursuit of her, and she doubted there were any other Sekirei that had dared to face her after witnessing the after-effects of her Norito, hence she turned her full focus into finding her Ashikabi.

At this moment, all she wanted was to be held in his arms, and listen as he showered her with praises and amorous words that would make her blush to no end. The need to share this feeling with her Ashikabi only grew stronger by the second. What would she say when she first met him for the first time in this reality? The mere thought of meeting him face-to-face was enough to paint her face a dark scarlet shade.

She had so many questions that she wanted to ask him, so many things she desired to know about him, and she didn't even know where to start! Perhaps asking him why she was able to use her Norito when she hadn't been kissed by her Ashikabi? Or maybe just where he got his special powers from? Or how he was able to find her so easily out of all the other Sekirei?

One couldn't blame Akitsu for placing so much emphasis on her being 'special' because even if an Ashikabi had been on the active search for a Sekirei, they really wouldn't place too much effort into finding someone they _kne__w _was a 'scrapped number'. It really wasn't their first choice because regardless of how strong she was, she couldn't be winged. So how was it that her precious Ashikabi had searched her out like that, and at such an opportune time too!

Shaking her head, the Ice Sekirei decided to focus on the trail she was currently on. Earlier on, she had been so overwhelmed with emotions that she failed to notice the connection that she now had with her Ashikabi, and once she realized its presence, all she had to do, was follow her heart, quite literally.

_Soon, I will be by your side… Naruto-sama…_

**X – X **

Little did Akitsu know, her blond Ashikabi was currently in a bit of a pinch.

"Uzumaki-san, can you please explain why you just said something so lewd, crude and vile?" Just like before, it would seem that the patience of a certain purplette was running quite thin when it came to him and his big mouth.

Though most of the time, he had no idea what was it that he said wrong, because the female species had so few little 'safe' words for the males to use that usually, Naruto would step on the bombs with his easy-going and direct attitude, unknowingly stirring up the wrath of the oh-so-lovely ladies, turning them into terrifying devils that would stop at nothing to claw at you, be it with words or with nicely polished nails.

Miya was a prime example.

"What, was, that, U-zu-ma-ki-san?" _Ah, there we go again, the crimson hannya mask complete with sharp horns, metallic eyes and the disgusting smile on the leering mouth split from ear to ear… That's like the fifth variation already._

Naruto had heard of people mumbling earlier in the day about how the North might not be a good place to live in, because a 'Hannya of the North' claimed protection on that area. He was even wondering who that Hannya was.

_Reality is a cruel thing, you should know that by now, Naruto! After two thousand years of experience, shouldn't you know that it's always the ones that look pretty and delicate that own the most devastating powers in contrast?! _

The fact that Uzume and that Kagari-san were chuckling in the background didn't really seem to help. He was current sitting in Seiza, a Japanese traditional way of sitting, normally reserved nowadays for greeting guests, apologizing, or in Naruto's case… awaiting punishment.

After separating from Akitsu, he had left the woman to her own devices, knowing that she would be able to escape without much trouble, and hence proceeded to make his way back to Izumo Inn, wanting to tell the others beforehand that he had brought back a new roommate.

By the time he reached the inn, the final member (or so Miya said) of Izumo Inn was now available to meet him, and upon first glance, Naruto felt goosebumps running up his back. This… non-human was the weirdest he had ever come across. Could he even call this dude a man?

_This guy should be an amoeba! He's sexless! What the hell?!_

On the outside though, Naruto was prim and proper, as polite was one could expect out of a guy who had participated in his fair share of high class social balls. He took special pride in the fact that Miya was once again staring at him with owlish eyes, though the way she stood with her posture slanted backwards and how her hand was covered over her mouth made it seem like she was trying to decipher how there could be such a change of character from the pervert this morning.

_That or she just thought I was trying to hit on this Kagari-san. Or both. Oh, who am I kidding, knowing her, it must be both, the sadistic, vicious lady with the face of an angel…_

Voice effects of 'butsu, butsu' started floating around Naruto even as he muttered with a dark aura, eyeing Miya with something akin to obsession as he started making disturbing motions with his hands.

That earned him a smack on the head with a ladle, plus the first variation of the Hannya mask. He was taken aback in all honesty, not thinking that she was able to create an illusion using her killing intent. The blond had tried to poke the thing to see if it was corporeal, only to be _smacked_ by the mask and witnessed its transformation to the second variation.

In all honesty, it would be scary to anyone else, but for Naruto, after witnessing Gai and Lee's hugs even when they were both wrinkled old man built up something of an immunity against scary things. That would forever be the most disturbing image he had witnessed, an eighty-year old and a sixty year old still wearing green spandex, still hugging each other while yelling out their names at the top of their voices (while not loud, it was still quite unsettling), and still claiming that they were at the prime of their _youth_.

_Yes, and pigs fly. Oooh, look, a third variation!_

It would appear that Miya was quite annoyed that he seemed to be ignoring her lecture about how one needed to conduct themselves properly in Izumo Inn and evolved her Hannya mask to emphasize her current temper with the newly added member of their inn.

At first, Uzume and Kagari had been shocked that their new 'neighbor' was completely unaffected by the Hannya masks that Miya was creating. It was quite uncanny to think someone was able to withstand not just one version of the mask, but another two in consecutive fashion. Though that line of thought was quickly forgotten as they both began doing their best to hold in their laughter, and failing quite hard even as Miya continued her lecture with her eyes closed, not realizing that Naruto was extremely bored and had taken to make silly faces at the Hannya mask while Miya went on and on.

It took a while, but Uzume couldn't take it anymore and was the first to break out laughing, effectively disturbing Miya's speech, earning her a glare in her way, which instantly reminded her that she herself was absolutely terrified of the Hannya and did not have the guts like this newcomer to test Miya's patience, and hence immediately clasped both hands on top of her mouth, so as to prevent the giggles from coming out, but it just wasn't to be.

The moment Kagari joined in as well, both of them collapsed onto the ground, breathless with laughter, notifying Miya that something was very wrong. Uzume being playful, she could understand, but Kagari too? Frowning, she had turned back to Naruto, only to find him sitting side by side with the Hannya mask that had somehow during the course of her lecture floated over to the blond.

Both Naruto and the mask now had on the _exact_ same eerie smile on their faces with Naruto pulling a face that made his eyes look wider, his nose flatter and his cheeks puffier. In other words, Miya was now staring at Hannya mask – Naruto version. Literally.

It was the other two members could take before they both collapsed to the floor, holding their stomachs as they wheezed and huffed, in an attempt to stop their mirth from growing any more, but to no avail. One just couldn't be serious when Naruto's prank side came out.

Till this day, no one had been able to successfully ward off the charms of one Uzumaki Naruto! He was the _best_, the _strongest_, the most _handsome_ –

Uzume started hammering her fist onto the tatami floor, whereas Kagari had his face from view, for fear that it would drive Miya even angrier than she was now. With each description of how 'awesome' the blond was, his face and body coordinated together to portray that exact image, or whatever he deemed that image to be, which was really quite amusing, but what made it perfect was the fact that the _Hannya mask_ would also change to match his expression, making it look like a pair of brothers who were both trying to act cool and failing miserably.

"U-zu-ma-ki-san…" The raging aura surrounding the landlady grew by leaps and bounds, as though ready to erupt any moment, her sole ladle now replaced by two.

_Two-sword style?_

Hearing the guffawing behind Miya, Naruto sweatdropped as he realized that he had spoken out loud once again.

"Uzumaki-san." Her eyes were positively glowing with evil right now.

"Hai." He really didn't want to disagree with a woman when she had _the look_ on, no matter how much fun it was to tease her while she was angry.

"Seiza." Her smile was quite creepy, making you feel as if she wanted to chew chunks of flesh of you before she swallowed you piece by piece.

"Hai." Without a moment's hesitation, he entered the state which he had then stayed in until present time.

Of course, Miya had then glared at her own mask, before evolving it into a fourth variation, and continued on with her lecture to Naruto about rules in Izumo Inn. The howling laughter from Uzume and Kagari (well, mainly Uzume) had died down somewhat, and they would both only chuckle at the pitiful expression Naruto had on his face as he was forced to listen to the endless lecture on conduct and behavior.

Though at some point in the one-sided conversation, Naruto had interrupted and said that his new roommate might be arriving soon and it might be better if they had postponed this lecture to after she had arrived so that she could listen in to this amazing fountain of information that was Miya.

The purplette was taken by surprise, asking what he meant by a new roommate and a 'she' at that.

Naruto had then put on a very fake blush and covered his cheeks in very fake embarrassment, before squealing about how Miya was jealous that he had a new girl and then proceeded to make bold claims to Miya that he would never give up on her, and would gladly invite her to join his harem as the main heroine… before he was smacked by _three _ladles, the third one miraculously held by her lips.

Naturally, his mumble of 'Three-sword style' again brought endless giggling from the two spectators.

Not even bothering to glare at those two behind her, Miya instead snarled as she made a fifth variation in an attempt to scare this perverted blond into submission, but once again failing. How could this be? Everyone was afraid of the mask! _Everyone!_ She would not allow any exceptions! If she had to beat it into their skull for them to realize it, then…

Noticing a cruel smile beginning to form on the purplette's lips, the alarms within the blond's head started shrieking and he did the first thing that came to mind.

He made a leap towards Miya in an attempt to show her how much he loved her, only for her to gladly accept him with a smile oh so sweet while he was in mid-air, before stomping him into the ground and unleashing her ladle power on him.

Such was the scene that Akitsu came upon even as she landed softly into the backyard of Izumo Inn, staring in astonishment at how her Ashikabi was screaming bloody murder at the hands of the slender landlady. Had it been anyone else, the Ice Sekirei would already have charged at them, ready to do anything to save her Ashikabi, but the Hannya mask that appeared was so scary that she had temporarily forgotten about her ability to fight, and stood rooted to the spot, looking like a helpless little girl.

That had gotten Miya to stop, smiling in satisfaction that her mask still had the effect on _some_ people, before scowling back in Naruto's direction, as though saying she _will_ create a Hannya mask that will scare him one day.

"Ara, ara, and who might this be?"

Akitsu had temporarily lost her ability to talk, but soon recovered when she saw the Sekirei in the star t-shirt and the other one in the white shirt give her looks of understanding and compassion, as though that was their reaction too when they first saw _it_.

"That's my new roommate. Say hi to everyone Aki-chan." He was still mumbling with his face down, his entire body covered with footstep marks and more than just a bit bruised.

"Hi." Being the obedient Sekirei that she was, Akitsu gave them a curt bow, and mumbled a quick greeting, which was repeated by Miya, Uzume and Kagari. There was just one small problem.

"Uzumaki-san?"

"Hm? What's wrong?" Naruto had finally pulled his face off the tatami and was struggling to remove his body from the Naruto-sized crater that Miya had beaten into the floor just now.

In an instant, the poor blond found himself surrounded by ten Hannya masks, each scarier than the other.

"Er… Miya-san?" Confused as to his sudden predicament, as well as how Uzume and Kagari were staring at him with sympathetic gazes, he couldn't help but feel a cold shiver run down his back.

It was then that he saw Akitsu's current state of dress, or rather, her lack of it. It really wasn't her fault that she had forgotten to wear something… less revealing. By the time she had escaped from MBI, her clothes were already in tatters. After the fight with Mutsu, the power from her Norito had again ripped them up some more, and she was just so caught up in her need to find her Ashikabi that the thought that she might be indecent never crossed her mind.

Though in all honesty, it wasn't like she would remember anyway. She was just that forgetful.

Naruto though, seriously forgot about this. In the other dimension, they had both been naked, and hence the fact that Akitsu would need clothes never came to mind. Alright, so he could take some blame for it, but was there really a need for each mask to be holding a ladle in their mouths, plus the nine Miya was holding?

_Wait, how come Miya had three heads and six arms? No way! It couldn't be!_

"Asura? Nine sword style?!"

Kagari couldn't help but shake his head as the blond found himself on the receiving end of a very harsh 'punishment'. He had no idea if this blond new comer was trying to rile up Miya or was just plain stupid. From his point of view, he couldn't see that nine-sword whatever he was yapping about, but he guessed it was just Miya forcing more killing intent on him, making him see illusions of her. Though he seemed more surprised than scared, so that might explain why Miya was _really_ releasing her pent up stress.

"Looks like this place is going to become very merry from now on." Uzume giggled even as she watched the blond rolling all over the room, trying to avoid the ladle strikes.

"Yeah." A small smile graced his lips before he turned back to the 'new roommate' of Uzumaki, "Why don't you come in and make yourself comfortable? Uzume can show give you some clothes to – " His voice was caught in his throat abruptly even as his widened in recognition , "You… you're…"

Uzume blinked at the sudden change in tone of Kagari's voice, and followed his line of sight to the Ice Sekirei that had just walked into the living room. To say she was surprised would be a great understatement, what with her jaw crashing to the ground as she now saw the face of the 'new roommate' clearly.

_Wasn't she the…_

"Uzume-san, Kagari-san…" An eerie voice rang behind them even as they spun around in fear, staring straight into two hannya masks that had them both retreating behind the Ice Sekirei at an alarming pace.

"It's very rude to point at people here in Izumo Inn, wouldn't you agree?" How she could smile in such a sweet manner whilst insinuating that she would do you physical harm if you disagreed was just unthinkable.

"Y-yes, of course, Miya." Kagari gulped even as he tried to steady his heart rate, "I was just surprised."

"Y-yeah! M-me too!" Uzume quickly piped up, wanting the mask to disappear as soon as possible.

"Really now?" Chuckling in satisfaction after seeing both heads nod up and down multiple times in quick succession, the landlady went up to Akitsu herself, "I apologize for them, they aren't usually like this. It's because of _someone_ that they've become so excitable this evening."

"Ah… it's okay."

"Hm, we need to get you some clothes to put on, I'm sure Uzume here has something that would fit you." Turning around to a still somewhat pale Uzume, she spoke softly, "Would you mind giving her a hand? I need to have some words with Uzumaki-san here."

"B-b-but of course! I-I would l-love to help! Come on, er, Aki, your name was?"

"Akitsu."

"Yosh! Akitsu-chan! Let's go to my room! I've got a whole cupboard of cute clothes that you could… ah…"

"U-zu-me?" The beginnings of a new Hannya mask could be seen forming.

"I-I'm j-just j-joking Miya. Come Akitsu-chan! We need to run from the evil hannya now or we'll never escape!"

"Ah… hai." Without any resistance, the Ice Sekirei let Uzume drag her upstairs to her room, leaving Kagari alone by himself with the mad couple, or so he deemed them.

"I er," Searching through his brain for some sort of excuse he could use to escape, Kagari hit the jackpot, "I've just realized that I needed to go to the night club earlier tonight, I guess I'll just leave you guys to it, eh?"

"Oh ho ho, if that's the case, then you really should be going, I assume we won't be expecting you back until tomorrow?" That smile of hers was enough to chill his bones, eliciting an instant reply of 'hai' from him.

"Well then, why don't you say goodbye to Uzumaki-san here? After all, this might be the last time you see him, oh ho ho ho ho…"

The blond simply sweatdropped, "I _am_ still here you know."

Kagari barely managed a smile, if you could even call it that, before waving towards the blond, as though saying goodbye to someone who was going into a death sentence, "Sayonara! Uzumaki-kun, it was good to have known you, even if it was only for a short while."

"Oi."

With that, Kagari rushed back to his room, grabbed a change of clothes and ran out of the inn, leaving Miya with Naruto.

Silence ensued for quite some time, before Naruto couldn't take it anymore, "Can you not smile at me like that? It's really disturbing."

"Why no! Uzumaki-san, can you tell me please," Taking a step closer to him with each word to put emphasis on the reason she was so angry, "Why is she naked?"

"What?! She wasn't naked! Her private parts were more than covered! She just showed ninety percent of her body, that's all!"

"Oh really, looks like I need to repeat my lecture to you with more _force_ so that it would stick in your thick skull that – "

And the world exploded right there.

"Lewd, lecherous acts are _not_ permitted in Izumo Inn!"

**X – X **

It would be a few hours later when Naruto left the Izumo Inn to find a pub somewhere for him to get drunk. He rubbed the bumps on his head as he cursed crazy female landladies with monstrous strengths and an uptight moral code.

_Just you wait, one day, I'll peel off all those morals of yours and ravage you so thoroughly that you would never even think bad of those so-called lewd, lecherous acts, mwahha, mwahahahahahaha!_

Caught up in his evil musings, he didn't realize that everyone on the streets was now avoiding him like the plague.

Greed tended to have that effect on civilians, and he relished in the fact that he could scare people just by sending out his possessive aura.

Naruto was not amused.

Sighing, he tried to remember if there were any bars on his way back from MBI. It had been a while since he had sake, and if being with the toads taught him one thing, it was how to drink sake. Though there really wasn't much point for him to drink it, because he could never get drunk, he still did it anyway because sake tasted nice. It was kind of like drinking soft drinks because you could.

"What kind of city is this?! Why would all the bars and pubs be situated so far away from the North sector of the city?! Surely there must be _one_ somewhere?!"

_Were they seriously this scared of Miya? It's just a drinking place! She wouldn't come over and slice you all to bits for drinking… right?_

Then again, it was Miya they were talking about, and considering how bar fights tended to happen when people had a bit too much to drink, the din that it created could be enough reason for Miya to put an end to stuff like this.

_Okay, perfectly believable. Now, sake, where art thou?_

As though answering his call, a sweet aroma floated into his nose, causing him to sniff a few times experimentally, before grinning widely, "SAKE! Here I come!"

To the other pedestrians on the road, all they saw was a blur that blew through them all as Naruto rushed to find the scent of the delicious liquid from Kami. Imagine his surprise when his sense of smell brought him to a construction site, and not like a bar that he had presumed at first.

"What the…" Sniffing once more, Naruto frowned, "But it _is_ from here!"

Looking around, it took him awhile before realizing that there _was_ someone drinking at this place, though why someone would choose _here_ of all places was quite the surprise for you.

Slowly making his away underneath the steel frame of the building, the blond squinted upwards to the top most 'level', before he shouted, "Oi! O-nee-san!"

The figure at the top started for a bit, before making a peering motion, in her hand, a small cup filled with the sake that Naruto was looking for, "Yeeeeesssss?"

Deadpanning at how she already seemed a bit tipsy, Naruto shrugged, before yelling once more, "Has anyone ever told you that it's dangerous to drink sake from there?"

It took her a while to understand the message, before she started giggling in an uncontrollable fashion, "Oh my! Boya, you care for me?! O-nee-san is soooo touched! Come on up here so I can give you a hug!"

The blond raised an eyebrow at the reply, understanding she was saying that just so he would leave her because he couldn't possibly climb that high, right?

It took all of the woman's composure to not spit out the sake she had just swallowed right into the face of the cheeky blond that was smirking at her even as he reached for her precious bottle of Sake, "It's all good, just let me have a drink and we'll call it even."

_How on earth did he get up here so quickly?! He doesn't feel like a Sekirei, but… how? And why is he staring at me with such intensity…?_

Naruto, on the other hand, was clearly admiring the beauty of the person sitting opposite of him. She was a very mature lady, wearing an extremely short purple Chinese dress, revealing her belly button and cleavage in an alluring manner. Her hair was beautiful, long and black, tied back with a lilac ribbon into a thick ponytail that flowed down to her waist level. Her most impressive feature, just like Musubi, was her well-endowed chest region. Upon noticing that, his smirk became a very foxy grin as his eyes narrowed into slits.

The female, obviously getting uncomfortable with how he was staring, tried to play it off with her mature, older sister act, "Ara, boya is so bold! Do you like what you see?"

Normally, boys of his age (unfortunate misunderstanding that she would later come to regret) would blush and start mumbling nonsense.

This blond however, merely announced in a proud tone, catching her completely off-guard, "98… 60… 92!"

Speechless at his sudden proclamation, it took her a few seconds before she realized what he was talking about, and a warm blush instantly made its way to her cheeks, sending heat through her body in ways long forgotten.

_Oh… oh my… To think that I would be… He's looking at me again… I just… No! I cannot! But he's so ho – _

_NO! Kazehana! You will not fall for someone who's a third of your age! _

_B-but oh why does he keep looking at me like that? _

_I-I must stay strong! I will not – _

_Eeep! He's coming closer! I, I…_

And this continued on until his forehead was almost touching hers, before he grinned playfully, "O-nee-san, your face is so red, it must be because you've been drinking so much. Why don't I relieve you of this bottle of Sake?"

Before she could even respond, the blond had already disappeared from his spot, leaving her staring into the empty space, before her fists clenched and flung her torso over the steel construct, glaring at the blond down on the road, who was now merrily drinking _her_ Sake.

_I can't believe I was just…_

_Is he actually waving at me?! How dare he?! No one messes with my sake and gets away with it! _

_Oh that's it! I will be teaching him a lesson as to who you can and cannot steal sake from!_

Little did she know that Naruto was thinking the same thing, with a slight smirk on his lips even as he hummed to his favorite tune.

_Isn't she just so cute with that blush on her cheeks? Awww, look at her acting as if she wants to kill me! Ah well, many have tried before you my darling, but they have all bowed down before the Great Uzumaki Naruto! So I say!_

Spinning around directly to face the incoming Kazehana, Naruto whispered in a soft, tender voice, "Let them come!"

* * *

_**And cut, there we go. Need to rush off to work so might seem a bit abrupt, but next chapter will pick up from this bit. I've had to work 9am-8pm hours for two days in a row now, it's painful. **_

_**Introduced No. 3, next chap will start with her, and move onto someone else. Who that someone is, I have no idea at this point. If you have any questions, ask in the review, will try to answer them as soon as I can. (Well, once I get off work) **_

_**P.S. Hopefully you guys like the Naruto Miya bit. I tried to make the mask thing original because there's already some stereotypes with Naruto trying to learn how Miya could do it. Do comment on it. Cheers.**_

_**Wilson, signing out.**_


	4. Chapter 3: Believe in Life

_**A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys, mostly good feedback and a few nice suggestions. Now, to answer a few questions. **_

_**How come Akitsu used Norito without kiss?! That's OP! Well no, because Naruto kissed her lots when they were in the other dimension. Didn't I mention Naruto could control time to a certain extent in that dimension? Go figure.**_

_**Some asked when Minato would show up. Answer is probably never. I hate the dude. Seriously, if you ask me which MC of a manga I despised the most, it would be Sahashi Minato. The dude's useless! You have hot, big busted females around you on a daily basis, and yet you shy away. The heck?! Even if you don't do a harem, you can at least just focus on one right?! But yeah, I hate the dude. **_

_**Next, when will I let Naruto wing No. 1, 2, 3, 4. Well, like I told one of you, I'm not even sure No. 1 can be winged as it is. Too little information to go by, because Sekirei **__**manga **__**updates so damn slowly (rage). As for the rest, go figure. I ain't telling you that, if I did, why would I bother writing, lol. Wait patiently, ya?**_

_**So far, most of you like the Naruto Miya interactions, with a few exceptions where they felt I was making Naruto too lame. Meh. I like it, will stick with it. End of story.**_

_**Another thing quite a few of you brought up was having me write in some of the minor Sekirei. I'm not too sure about that because I think with the way I'm going, Naruto will have quite a large flock as it is. We'll see how it goes eh?**_

_**Alright, chapter 3, go!**_

* * *

A Second Journey

Chapter 3: Believe in Life

What should have been a one-sided battle really didn't turn out the way Kazehana expected it to.

"Ha… Ha… Ha…" Panting heavily, the Wind Sekirei couldn't help but glare at the cheeky _brat_ in front of her.

"Ara? O-nee-san, you look so tired! Want me to give you a massage?" _Again with those disturbing motions of his hands, why, if it wasn't for the fact that I didn't want him to get a taste of my goods, I would so – _

Yes, this battle, if one could even call it that, was quite intriguing, at least from Naruto's standpoint. He had egged the No. 3 Sekirei on, getting her to charge right at him, ready to take him down with a punch or two. The blond simply side-stepped as Kazehana flew by him, humming nonchalantly as he admired his nails. They were kept in such fantastic condition that he couldn't help be proud!

Kazehana naturally didn't take too well to being ignored, and took the initiative once again. She never realized why that blond kid kept sporting a foxy grin, as though he was planning something like a prank…

She found out with her next movement. Just as she was about to close in on him, her right fist with a cycle of wind around the forearm to reinforce the impact, Kazehana pulled back awkwardly, gaping at the cackling blond in disbelief.

_Was he trying to… grope me?!_

Indeed, Naruto was. Well not really. He just placed his hands right into the path of her nice, firm breasts. Had she actually gone forth with her hit, then those 'twins' of hers would definitely fit nicely into the open palms of the Great Uzumaki Naruto.

Passing it off as a mere coincidence, Kazehana leapt high into the air, deftly spinning past Naruto, getting behind him in one swift motion, and lashed out with her right foot, aiming to kick the insufferable brat in the ass.

Said blond retaliated by stroking her soft thigh even as she quickly withdrew her limb. _How on earth is he able to tell what I'm going to attack him with?! I somewhat guessed he had fighting abilities but this was ridiculous! What is he?!_

This process continued on for quite a bit, before the Wind Sekirei noticed something else.

"Are you _drunk_?!" This was just unbelievable. From what she had seen, he had taken just _one_ sip of her sake, that was it. And he was trying to molest her while defending against her attacks…

"Hic! W-what are you o-on about, o-neeeeeee-san? Ara? How come there's two of you? Hehehe, oh that's fine by me! More boobs for me to – "

"Would you cut it out?!" It was just so damn embarrassing with how a _human_ brat so much younger than her was treating this whole thing so casually, without a care for simple decency as he came up with all sorts of ways to feel her up!

If she struck with her fist, he would aim for her breasts.

If she struck with her legs, he would aim for her … Grrrrr…

If she tried to summon up a wind attack, he would launch himself at her with incredible speed, yelling about how he was gonna feel them 98Gs.

Frankly speaking, it was like fighting a very persistent, perverted drunk! She had known he could fight, quite obvious from the fact that he was able to climb up and down that steel frame without much effort at all. The way his body was built spoke volumes to the physical training he must have undergone. Kazehana could tell simply by looking at his muscles.

There are three types of muscles, white, red and pink. Technically pink was but a legend, the perfect mixture of white and red. White muscle provided instant explosive power, whereas red muscle provided long-lasting, albeit slightly weaker power. To be able to combine the two to give you the maximum efficiency in terms of strength and stamina, that was the dream of every single soldier there was.

As Sekirei, they were all naturally born with a high percentage of pink muscles. That was quite a big part of the reason how they were just so much stronger than normal humans. But when she gazed at the muscles on this blond, it was quite easy to see that he had successfully tuned all his muscles into pink muscles, an unbelievable feat in itself.

Imagine the kind of training one had to go into to create this result. Kazehana could only begin to imagine the trials he must have gone through.

_Oh you have no idea, my darling. Pa and Ma are the world's most sadistic slave drivers. _

But that didn't excuse from being such a pervert though! She shouldn't even be interested in someone who was so intent on groping her! This brat was completely unlike the complete gentleman the chairman was!

_Are you kidding me? I'm ten times the gentleman that lunatic can be! _

Besides, so what if he looked hot enough to eat? Looks weren't everything! It's about what you have on the inside that counts!

_Er… Used to have Kurama in there, he's pretty cool dude, but he's not there anymore, so er… that's a minus for me I guess?_

"Why do you look like you can hear my thoughts?!" To say the Wind Sekirei was going nuts was an understatement, she was being driven to the brink of despair even as she yelled in disbelief, "And how can you be doing all this when you're drunk?!"

"Hic! I… Hic! Am the world's greatest… Hic! Drunken fist master!"

"Don't think you can just bullshit your way out of this!"

"Hic! En garde!" Ignoring her indignant expression, Naruto then moved his body into the traditional crane posture, with both arms stretched out to the sides, and his left knee rising to his chest. It would have looked like he was actually trying to be a drunken fist master, if not for the fact that the crane posture had nothing to do with drunken fist whatsoever. Especially not when the user had this stupid smile on his face as he made quacking noises whilst flapping his arms.

Unable to take it any longer, Kazehana growled in anger even as her lips pulled back into a snarl, "That's it, no more holding back! I _will_ break that idiotic smile on your face if that's the last thing I do! Flower Banquet!" Leaping into the air, she brought her arms together, summoning up a huge gust of wind, before blasting it towards the 'drunken' blond.

In a blur, Naruto had leapt right over the gust, all signs of drunken behavior vanishing in an instant, even as he smirked at her once more, "Ara, ara, why so violent?"

Frowning slightly at how her attack was evaded so easily, Kazehana's eyes glowed slightly before dashing off at a faster speed, launching her leg right into the blond's chest, sending him flying back towards the ground, resulting in quite a messy crash. It was a good thing they were currently still near a construction site, so she was able to let loose for a bit without worrying about too much damage to the surroundings.

Readying herself in a composed battle stance, Kazehana eyed the crater that was formed warily, ready to for any counter attack that the blond might have. To her surprise, he got up relatively quickly without taking any action, simply brushing off the dust that was on his torso, before staring at her in amusement, "Now that's more like it. You _do_ know how to fight properly after all."

Startled, the Wind Sekirei failed to form a response even as the human gave her a knowing smile, "What do you – "

"Sake's not the only way to relieve your stress you know?" His eyes gained a sly glint even as he took off his jacket, "How about I show you some of the things I can do with my hands?"

Unable to control herself, Kazehana felt a blush creep up her cheeks once again, before she scoffed in a dismissing manner, "As if I haven't experienced anything you could possibly offer."

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure." Grinning, Naruto got into a battle stance of his own, "Here, why don't I show you?"

**X – X **

"Muuuuu…" A certain brunette was currently wandering aimlessly as she tried her best to find her ashikabi. Depressing thoughts filled her mind as she mumbled about how things were always easier said than done.

"No! I will not give up! Naruto-san has been nothing but kind to me! I will not disappoint him!" Pumping her fists, she gave herself a boost of confidence, before walking once again, only to stop after a few steps.

A familiar growl echoed through the area, earning a few giggles from pedestrians around her. Holding her stomach in embarrassment, she moaned, "Mo! Why do I get hungry so easily? Naruto-san had just treated me to ramen before!" With pitiful tears in her eyes, poor Musubi had to continue on her path, trudging heavily as she gradually lost enthusiasm in her current goal, her mind instead focusing on a certain blond.

_Why isn't Naruto-san my Ashikabi…? He's so nice to me! No one has ever been so nice to Musubi! Not even the professors!_

Elsewhere, within MBI headquarters, both the head researcher and the chairman sneezed at the same time, leading to the chairman exclaiming about how this was the sign that they should get together and began leaping towards the head researcher, intending on jumping her. Needless to say, the head researcher stomped him into the ground and left in a huff, wondering who was talking bad about her, before giving off an evil aura, mumbling about how she needed to prepare her punishments. All security guards that stood in her wake were sufficiently cowed.

Though there was some fact to Musubi's thoughts. The chairman aside, Takami at best played the role of a step mother. She didn't have the time or energy to constantly be by Musubi's side, and most of the time when she was, she was carrying out the adjusting process, meaning Musubi was more or less asleep. At least, Musubi chose to be, because she was bored. There were definitely moments where Takami's mother side came through, but more often than not, it was the professor side.

Naruto on the other hand, had only met Musubi this afternoon after she crashed into him. Normally people would be quite annoyed at this, or at least wouldn't have bothered to help a 'crazy' girl with no money. Others would have tried to seduce her given her ridiculously enchanting figure, especially the chest region that defied gravity laws. Naruto simply gave her a tag and ramen on the two occasions she's met him, followed by a long walk filled with amusing chats and even a demonstration of youth!

If all the male passer-bys heard this, they would have face-faulted and began taking notes.

To get a girl to like you, give her a piece of paper and treat her to a meal. Then act stupid as you walk her home.

_Musubi really didn't want to leave Naruto-san… but no! It is as Naruto-san said! Musubi must be strong so that she can find her Ashikabi! Musubi cannot always be a burden for Naruto-san!_

The poor girl had no idea that her 'Naruto-san' had somehow taken up more space within her mind than her supposed 'Ashikabi-san'. It was understandable as she continued walking with her head down, mumbling about how she must be strong the next time she met with Naruto-san, and how he would be happy and stroke her head gently just like last time and, and…

"Oof!"

"Waah!"

When you walk and not pay attention to the road, you will eventually bump into something.

"Musubi's so sorry! Musubi should have watched where she was going! Are you alri… AHHH!" Finally realizing who she actually bumped into, the brunette couldn't help but point straight at her 'victim'.

"Ita-ta-ta… What was that for?" The person currently clad in a rather cute maid outfit snarled in a manner quite unbefitting her costume, before staring back in surprise, "Wow, talk about luck. Oi! Hikari! Found her!"

"Eh?" Musubi could only stare before her eyes widened to size of saucers at her impending doom, "EHHHHH?!"

"Good job, Hibiki! Now, let's get her!" The woman that came outside from the Maid Café was tall and of slender build, with long black hair done up in two long ponytails. Her hazel eyes narrowed in recognition of a cowering Musubi and instantly began barking orders for her sister to begin chase. If one were to look closely, they would realize that both girls in maid outfits looked strangely alike, though there was quite a big difference in terms of bust size between them.

"Nooooo!" Musubi could only cry in misery as she began running for it once again.

"Get your ass back here!" The more aggressive Sekirei yelled with a huge tick mark above her eyebrow, "This time, I will take her down _for sure_!"

Her twin counterpart simply sighed in exasperation, "I don't really know why you're so hyped up when it comes to chasing her. She's just another unwinged Sekirei - "

"Are you kidding me?!" Hikari gaped at her twin in disbelief, "She cost us our Ashikabi!" Then she held up both hands, showing ten fingers, "On _multiple_ occasions too! How can you forgive her just like that?!"

Hibiki nodded reluctantly even as they ran after the wailing brunette, who was surprisingly fast, "Well, you can't blame her for everything. I mean, it's not like we were _reacting_ reacting to them, we just... thought they looked cute."

Yes, 'reacting reacting' is now a special phrase for Sekirei. Normally, a reaction meant increased heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure and a whole bunch of other stuff, that's reacting reacting. If there's only one 'reacting', it could refer to a Sekirei deciding to settle for someone who kinda made her feel hot, but not really.

"But they all _could_ have been!" Hikari felt that she needed to argue her point as to why chasing this particular Sekirei all over the city while flinging lightning bolts at her was a good idea.

"You really think so? They were all just perverts, weren't they?" Hibiki mumbled in a small voice, as though expecting her sister to blow up in rage once more.

"So?!" Charging up another ball of lightning, Hikari tried to aim this time before firing, only for it to miss again, though not by much, "Argh! Stay still you little bugger!"

"Sigh..."

"Hibiki! That last one looked alright! So what if he just wanted to have sex with us? It's better than starving out on the streets!" She then decided to widen her range and sent a series of electric blasts in quick succession, aiming to blow the 'Sekirei of their Doom', or so she had dubbed her, off balance. It had worked quite well before, but for one reason or another, she seemed to be really nimble today.

"Well, Seo looked alright, muscular and gruff with that perverted smile of his. Regular customer of that night club we used to work at too. Must be quite a heavy playboy." Hibiki ticked off the qualities of their 'potential Ashikabi'.

"He would have been _it_ had this little bugger not squashed his head in after randomly dropping from the roof!" Feeling a streak of vengeance after remembering all the tough times they had because of a _lack_ of Ashikabi, the Electric Sekirei couldn't help but weep pitifully, "And I was so sure we _had_ him! He was eating out of my palm! He was going to be our meat ticket!"

A certain 'meat ticket' sneezed as he lay in the MBI hospital bed, dreaming about hot, busty beauties that could have been his future sex friends.

"I'm not so sure, sis. His clothes looked a bit battered and he always seemed to be sneaking his way out of the back exit before he paid, so I really doubt that he was a rich guy. He didn't even look like he could take care of himself."

It was pretty obvious that Hibiki was the more composed and collected half as she nailed it right on the dot, not that she knew it of course. In the years to come, when the lightning twins actually met Seo, and saw the condition his house was in, they would then hug Musubi with all their strength, crying with grateful tears at how the Fist Sekirei had sent that disgusting dude to the hospital. Musubi would have no recollection of the event whatsoever of course, but that didn't stop her from eagerly returning their hug.

Back to present time, it was clear that Hikari held a personal grudge towards Musubi and attacked her with a vengeance. "Damn it! She's really gotten fast!"

"Well you technically trained her with the number of times you had tried to assassinate her."

"Whose sister are you?!"

Having lightning thrown at you on a constant basis was actually a good way to train your reflexes. A certain blond shinobi would agree with it given how often Samui had tried to castrate him with a good old raiton jutsu for staring at her boobs just a tad too long.

That might explain Naruto's interest this time around in females with impressive bosom.

No, not really. He just liked them that way.

It was quite natural for Hikari to get frustrated after missing her 'could-be' Ashikabi ten times in a row. That would be enough to break the spirit of others long ago. Although not all of the blame could be placed on Musubi; she was just always at the wrong place at the wrong time, or rather right place right time. It depended on how you looked at it. Again in the future, the lightning twins leaned towards the latter.

"Grrr, why can't I hit her?!"

"Calm down Sis, the more angry you are, the less chances of you hitting."

"How can you be so calm about this?! She's _right_ there!" As though to emphasize her point, she sent two lightning strikes at a frightened Musubi to show her twin counterpart what she meant by 'there'.

"Sigh…" Hibiki couldn't help but shake her head at how stubborn her sister was sometimes. She knew very well deep inside that Hikari was perhaps one of the kindest people one would ever meet, but she just had such a short-temper when it came to things that annoyed her. It might be because of their powers, where her sister represented the fierce and violent side of electricity, whereas she embodied the silent and cool aspects of it. They had been lectured way back when they were still in the laboratory that they would only be able to find an Ashikabi to whom they would _both_ react to, otherwise they couldn't be winged. Needless to say, their Norito needed to be used when they were together, so that they balance each other out and show off the true power of lightning, faster than the naked eye could follow, deadlier than any other element when it comes to sheer destructive power.

At least so far, that theory proved true. They had yet to find someone who could cause more damage than they did. Granted, they ran into that fire dude a few times, but all he did was just lightly burn them to scare them off. Some bullshit about how he was the Guardian of the Unwinged Sekirei, and it was his duty to protect them and all that crap. If that was the case why didn't he protect them?! So what if they were the one actively scaring off all the other unwinged ones?! They needed protection too!

"Come on! We need to pick up our pace! She's getting away!" Hikari hurriedly yelled out, before she dashed off after the poor Fist Sekirei.

"Hai hai…" Naturally, the sister followed suit.

**X – X **

"Target entering area. Stay alert." A certain spectacled male mumbled into his speaker.

"Yawn, really? All this hassle for _two_ flimsy females? And they're clad in maid outfits! Gawd, this is hilarious!" A muscular male howled in laughter even as he shook his head, "They better be strong, or I'll just terminate them. Higa-sama has no need for weak Sekirei."

"Ha! Violent as always eh? Kirito?" A female Sekirei wearing a revealing purple, yellow spandex outfit, held together by a small metal ring right below her breasts chuckled in a sadistic manner.

"You're one to talk, Ichiya." This time, a tall woman with long, dark green hair entered the room, her outfit consisting of a blue and white tight belly-top, stockings held by a garter over her bloomers with thigh length boots to finish it off.

"Keh! Whatever. You females are weak anyway." The muscular male Sekirei with spiky red hair sneered in a demeaning fashion, earning him twin glares from the his fellow Sekirei.

"What was that?!" Toyotama growled in anger, ready to brandish her staff if her 'partner' dared repeat what he said.

"Alright that's enough!" The male dressed in a blue suit firmly stopped the banter, before quickly adjusting his glasses, "Your mission is to bring them back to Higa-sama to be winged. I repeat, do _not_ terminate them! Is that clear?"

"Tch! Yeah, yeah, got it." Cracking his knuckles, Kirito grinned in a predatory way, "I'll try not to damage the goods but I make no promises."

"You would do well to follow your orders No. 93!"

"Feh! Who are you to order me around huh?! You're nothing but my master's secretary, Kakizaki! What gives you the right to talk to me like that, huh?!" Raising his fist, the muscular Sekirei simply snorted, "Don't for one second think I give a shit what you tell me to do, I only follow orders of my master."

The spectacled male could only sigh as he shook his head, "Alright, alright, just finish your mission as quickly as you can. This _is _the North sector after all. We're already taking a huge risk by coming out here."

This time, it was Ichiya that spoke up, "Don't worry. Even if the Hannya of the North show up, we'll still be able to get away, I have the utmost confidence in our abilities."

Toyotama agreed instantly, "Might even be good to test how good she really is."

"No! All contact with Asama Miya is forbidden! We are to escape on sight of her! This is a _direct order_ from your master! You would do well to remember that!"

Looking at their disgusted faces, Kakizaki could do nothing but shake his head, "Just get going. We aim to be out of here within the next ten minutes."

"Ten? Psh! Rubbish like that only take one."

**X – X **

"Ha! Now you're cornered! This time, I won't let you get away!" Hikari laughed in a maniacal way even as she slowly closed in on a trembling Musubi, who looked as if she was about to cry.

"Hey! Don't you dare wail on me! You're making me look like the bad guy here!"

"Sis… we _are_ the bad guys here."

"What?! How so! I'm just administering divine retribution to this little – "

"You can tell she didn't do it on purpose Sis." Hibiki easily deflected her arguments whilst she admired her fingernails, "Besides, we're the ones that trapped her here. No matter how you look at it, we're the evil ones in this scenario."

"M-musubi won't be scared of you! Musubi will fight!" What seemed to be bravado instantly faded away as she faced the glare of a pissed off Hikari, "B-but before that! Musubi wants to know why you keep bullying me! You guys are unwinged, just like me! Why would you pick on me so much?"

Silence ensued for a while, before Hibiki let off a long sigh. This was the _one_ question that she shouldn't have asked. Now there would be no end to the rage her sister was feeling.

"Oh ho? You want to know why?" Her amber eyes narrowed, before gritting her teeth, "Alright! I'll tell you why! Remember the first time we met you? You were wandering just outside the park?"

Musubi stared at her blankly for a moment before shaking her head, "No."

"What do you mean 'no'?!"

"Eeeep!"

"Mo, Sis, stop scaring her."

"Grrrr, alright! That time you somehow knocked the guy we thought was going to be our Ashikabi right into the fountain!"

"Eh?" The miko-like Sekirei scratched her head in a cute manner, "I… did?"

"Yes! You came flying out of nowhere and rammed right into him!" Hikari growled, clenching and releasing her fists, occasionally releasing a bolt of lightning.

"Then the second time, you were sleeping on a bench outside a cake shop. Our second choice of an ashikabi was knocked out by you with one punch after you woke up and saw his face close to yours, asking if you were alright."

"Ehhh?" Musubi tilted her head slightly, "Musubi doesn't remember doing that."

"Of course you don't! You were half-asleep!"

"Then the next time you stepped on the candidate's head while you were happily skipping across the field."

"Ehhhhhh?"

"Punched in the gut, kneed in the groin, pushed off a building, flung into the sea, headbutted one into unconsciousness, dunked head into toilet and crashed through the roof." Hibiki coolly counted the rest of the 'encounters' off one by one, leaving a gaping Musubi by the end of it.

"W-wait a minute! What do you mean dunked into a toilet! Musubi didn't remember doing that!"

"Well, he tried to peek under your skirt and had you cornered outside the toilet, wanting to molest you." Again with the indifferent comments.

"_That_ was your choice for an ashikabi?!" Musubi retorted in a frenzy, "How can you choose that kind of scum as ashikabi! Shouldn't your ashikabi be someone who's honorable, respectable and at least somewhat decent?! How can you just pick someone with such disgusting thoughts?!"

Hikari was actually at a loss of words for this one, because she knew this was one _big_ mistake she had made. The dude had looked rich, and he did look kinda cute, so they thought they might as well make do with this one.

Hibiki shrugged, "We were starving." As though that should answer everything.

"What? But, but Musubi was starving too! She still was able to meet Naruto-san! He was such a nice guy! He treated me to ramen!" At this, the Fist Sekirei uncontrollably thought of the nice, funny blond she had met earlier in the day.

The older of the twins raised an eyebrow, before inquiring, "Then how come you haven't been winged yet?"

Musubi seemed to deflate at the mention of this, before she muttered pitifully, "Because Musubi didn't feel anything from him. Musubi didn't want to leave him, but Naruto-san said it would be better if Musubi could search for her Ashikabi on her own for one more time."

Hibiki seemed stunned by this new revelation, "He actually let you _leave_? Why didn't he try to wing you?"

"Naruto-san is a very nice person! He cheered Musubi up even though Musubi told him she still couldn't get away even though she used that tag on you – "

"That tag was _his_?!"

"But he just stroked Musubi's hair gently and told her it was alright, and that if Musubi was ever in trouble, all she needed to do was find him and he'll help Musubi!"

"Pft, what can a human do to help a Sekirei?" Hikari waved off her indignant protests that Naruto-san was a very strong person and instead focused on Musubi, "Why didn't you just stay with him then, if he's so nice?"

Opening and closing her mouth a few times, the Fist Sekirei gave a miserable sigh before answering, "Musubi believes that only those who truly love their Sekirei should be allowed to become an Ashikabi. That is our purpose, to find the one that loves us beyond all else. With Naruto-san…" The lightning twins could tell that she was struggling with her emotions, the way she quivered even as she struggled to keep talking, "Musubi felt safe when he's by Musubi's side. But that's not the same! Musubi did not feel the pulse of love that she should! Why? Musubi was so sure Naruto-san was the one… but why…"

Hikari's eyes softened, even as she eyed the weeping girl. She hated to say it, but she really did feel sorry for her. Here they were, trying to find a suitable human to be their Ashikabi. Heck as long as he had _some_ money, looked alright, they were ready to be winged by him. But this one here, she found one that she felt completely comfortable with, but still didn't give in to the desire to just be safe. She really wanted to be _loved_.

To be honest, the lightning twins had long since given up on 'true love' ever since they entered human society. Their first encounter was some random juvenile punk that tried to rape them, and it was quite the unpleasant experience. The more they survived, watching these humans go about their daily lives, the more tragedies they witnessed. Nobody they met even so much as struck them the right way. It was like a curse placed on them, forcing them to realize just how corrupted the humankind truly were, before they might be allowed to have a glimpse at what bliss awaited them if they were to ever find their Ashikabi.

Hibiki was the one who took action, and knelt down beside the crying girl, pulling her into a hug before comforting her with quiet murmurs, trying her best to tell her that they knew of her pain. It was quite the irony, how they were in completely different situations, yet they could understand each other perfectly. It all stemmed from their need to find the _right_ Ashikabi.

Sighing, the lightning twins could only stare at each other with a resigned smile on their faces, knowing that this was as far as they could go. There really was no need to chase up a Sekirei who was suffering just as much as they did, though in a different manner.

"Geez, stop crying already, you're a fighting type Sekirei, aren't you? You gotta man-up!" Hikari declared in a firm voice, leaving Musubi with a deer-in-the-headlights look, "M-man up?" Tears that had shown signs of ceasing picked up once again, this time even stronger than before, "Waaah! Musubi is not a man!"

Hikari sweatdropped, before waving her hands around nervously, "I-I don't mean you're a man! That was just a figure of speech! Ah mo! Just stop crying!"

"Waaaah! She's so mean! Musubi doesn't like mean people!"

"Grrrr, Imma fry you if you don't shut up this instant!" Naturally, her patience only went so far.

Hibiki rolled her eyes at the familiar turn of events, "Sis, just shush. Leave the consoling to me, you just stand there and look pretty in case anyone looks this way, alright?"

Grumbling about stupid brats, the older sister of the two turned around for a moment, before spinning right back, "What do you mean _look_ pretty?! I _am_ pretty!"

Resisting the urge to do a perfect facepalm, the younger of the two glared right back, "Not now!"

Before Hikari could retort, a huge figure descended from the roof above them, with his fists aimed directly at the Lightning Sekirei.

"Sis, watch out!" Hibiki took instant action, firing off twin bolts of electricity from both palms, trying to somewhat alter the course of the falling enemy.

"What the hell?!" The older sister barely rolled out of the way in time, her eyes narrowing even as she eyed the muscular guy leering at her with his tongue sticking out in a revolting manner.

"Ha! Not bad, maid outfits suit you little pussies! Now come to papa!" The male didn't even allow them a second to speak, before charging once more, his huge frame easily carrying momentum as he moved with surprising speed, almost catching the twins off guard once more.

The resounding crash that occurred as he rammed his shoulder right into the wall was scary to say the least. He had busted clean through it, without even so much a scratch on himself.

"Tch! Missed, eh? Just have to try again!" His eyes held a wild lust within them as he launched himself towards his targets once more, this time only barely missing as the twins could do nothing but roll out of the way.

"What is with his speed!? Fat guys aren't supposed to move that fast!" Hikari griped even as she covered her right arm from view. It wasn't obvious to most people, but the Lightning Twins weren't exactly as strong as they showed themselves to be. The only problem with them was that they didn't have much in the form of defense. They could easily counter any elemental specialist if they put their minds to it, but if it came to close combat, then they would be at a huge disadvantage, because they were neither strong nor fast enough to handle the blows from the enemy.

Hence they took up the motto, 'best defense is a good offense' and would usually just fry their enemy and be done with it. This time however, it would seem that this tall hulk was unaffected by their electric attacks, probably because he had hardened his muscles to the point where their electricity simply reflected off his torso.

It was then Hibiki's eyes widened, "Ah! What happened to – "

Quickly searching for signs of the Fist Sekirei, she was shocked to see another two females surrounding a panting Musubi, with condescending smirks on their faces.

"Well, well, well, what do you know? We've got ourselves a little kitty to play with on top of two maids, how lucky!" The one with the long green hair spoke first.

"Do you actually think you can defeat us both? You must be out of your minds." Stretching her legs, the one with short, blue hair yawned before mumbling, "I can't believe Higa-sama would send all three of us for something so simple. Who cares if their numbers are in front of us, they're weak!"

Hikari snarled in irritation, charging up twin balls of lightning and flung them right at the females, "I'll show you weak!"

"Sis! Look out!" Hearing her sister's cry, the older twin felt alarm bells ringing in her mind even as she was rammed right by the body of a rampaging No. 93, causing her to cough up quite some blood even as the shockwaves rushed through her body.

"You're mine!" Without giving Hikari any time to react, Kirito had grabbed onto her leg, held her upside down, and flung her right into another pile of debris, breaking her patella in the process. Shrieking in pain, Hikari knew that she was screwed. She could barely stand up now as it was, and that meant Hibiki would be on her own for the most part. Considering how this guy's brute strength could easily overpower them, plus the fact that No. 88 was being double-teamed, their chances of winning seemed really slim at this point.

It was then that a smug voice sounded behind her, "Good! Now incapacitate the other one and let's get going."

Enraged at the person that had the audacity to plan all this, Hikari glared right at the spectacled man that stood at a distance from her and roared in revulsion, "Who the hell are you?! Why are you attacking us?!"

"Hmph. You would learn well not to talk to me in such a disrespectful manner." Kakizaki adjusted his glasses, and motioned for Kirito to take out the other half of the twins, "Unwinged Sekirei like you are in no position to ask me any questions. Just shut up and await your fate. You should be honored that Higa-sama is even willing to give you the chance to be winged."

"Aaaaah!" Within a few minutes, Hibiki suffered the same fate as her, though she held a broken left arm instead as she landed right next to her sister, "Oof! Cough, cough… S-sorry Sis…"

"Hibiki!" The older twin struggled to move over to see how her sister was doing, ignoring the huge amount of pain she was in.

"Now, now, be a good girl and _stay down_!" Without any compassion, the huge bulk of muscles that had attacked them proceeded to sit right on top of Hikari, smashing her into the ground, effectively preventing her from moving at all.

"Sis!" Hibiki shrieked in horror as she witnessed the pain on her sister's face, "What is the point of all this?!"

Kakizaki simply sneered, "Why, to wing you of course. Isn't that what you so wished for?"

Kirito chuckled, "Man, you guys are so weak. I thought you would put up much more resistance, but it seems like I overestimated you guys, ah, what the hell, might as well have some fun before you guys get winged. I still can't believe Higa-sama wanted shitty Sekirei like you guys. That thought alone pisses, me, off!" With a strong smack, Hibiki was sent flying through the air, before crashing into the wall of the building.

Even as she began to fall to the ground, Kirito was on her in a second, ramming his fist right into her stomach, eliciting a choked noise from her throat as she struggled to breathe. The muscular Sekirei then finished it off by clenching his fists together and bringing them down hard on her neck, sending the younger twin face-down into the ground, creating a medium-sized crater with the strength behind his attack.

"HIBIKI!"

On the other side, Musubi too was getting beat up, but she had a stronger resistance to physical attacks seeing how her body was adjusted to be more suited for close combat, hence she wasn't as bad off as Hibiki, but she was still on the losing end. It was pretty obvious that she simply lacked the experience one needed to be triumphant in close combat, and while her strength was impressive, her moves contained quite a few loopholes for Ichiya and Toyotama to exploit.

"How could you do that?!" Musubi yelled in anger, "They aren't even reacting to you! Why would you want to wing them?!"

"Hahaha! Are you serious?"

"Can you believe she just said that? Oh my, no wonder she's still an unwinged!"

"Answer me! Why?!" The brunette seemed to gain a sudden boost of power with her newly found anger, and successfully fended off the two female enemies, before rushing at Kakizaki, "How could you do this to unwilling Sekirei?!"

Kirito appeared before her, and defended the spectacled man from Musubi's punch in time, before overpowering her with his strength, forcing her backwards.

"Hmph, who cares? Love is nothing but a farce. All you need is power, and Higa-sama has that power. Whatever he says, goes. You would do well to remember that." The smug expression on his face was extremely unsettling, and Musubi felt her eyes glow for just a fraction of a second, before she charged once more, "How dare you taint the pure emotions of us Sekirei!"

"Oi, oi, oi! What are you acting so hot-blooded about? Stay down!" Kirito grunted even as he met with her punch once again, this time however, he found himself taking a step backwards, before _he_ was launched into the debris.

Fortunately for him, Ichiya and Toyotama began attacking her once again, preventing her from getting anywhere near a slightly nervous Kakizaki.

"Come now, even if you find the one you love, so what? If he's weak, then it's pointless to be winged by him anyway!" Toyotama spoke in a carefree tone even as she executed a three-sixty degree spin move, slamming her staff into Musubi's torso as she evaded a punch from her, effectively countering her move, "We entered the Sekirei plan to win! Not to talk about romance!"

"A kid like you would never know what it takes to win in this game. It's obvious that you have to follow the person with the most power to gain an advantage over the others. Higa-sama has that power, and we will make you bow down to that power!" Ichiya executed a series of quick kicks, before stringing them all together, sending Musubi tumbling across the road where she currently lay, with injuries all over, her clothing ripped in multiple places.

Two-on-one was just too much for Musubi to handle, and though Hikari had expected that result, she nonetheless felt angry that her fellow Sekirei would stoop this low, "To think that you would gang up on someone just for the sake of winning!"

"Ha! Shut up bitch!" Grabbing hold of the older twin by the neck, Kirito slowly rose out of the rubble before glaring right at her, "Don't you understand that the result is all that matters?" Raising his head, he gave her a hard slap to the face, "Bitches like you should know your place! Dreaming about a fantasy world that never existed is why you're this weak!"

"Shut up! You're nothing but a puppet for a dog of an Ashikabi! I would never bow down to the likes of an asshole that forces himself onto Sekirei!" Hikari snarled as she spat right in the face of a furious Kirito.

"Looks like you need to be taught a lesson just like your sister, eh?!" Maintaining his hold on her, he smashed her into the ground, and proceeded to rain fist after fist down on her upper body, regardless of face or torso, he smashed with the intent to break any bone or cartilage that stood in the way of his fists. He had no mercy for someone that dared speak of his Ashikabi in such a way.

"N-no…" HIbiki who had just dragged herself out from the crater, could only watch on in helplessness as her sister was crushed by the overwhelming strength of Kirito. Hikari's cries in pain seemed to egg the muscular Sekirei on, and he placed more strength into each of his punches, wanting to make this bitch suffer as much as he could.

"Scream for me bitch!" Blood sprayed all over the floor even as Kirito lifted her up once more, his crazed eyes demanding she apologize for what she said, "Well?"

Her breaths were getting labored, her conscious slipping as the seconds passed by. She couldn't believe how easily she was getting defeated. She was supposed to be No. 11, one of the stronger Sekirei out there! Deep inside, she knew the real reason.

Hibiki and her simply did not have the energy they needed to fight properly. Their meals have been the bare minimum they needed to survive, simply because they couldn't afford to eat anything. They worked their butts off just for that little pay, and even then they saved it mainly for lodging around the city, hoping to somehow meet their destined Ashikabi on their way. They knew from the start they had to blend in with the crowd, act as normal as they could and wait for him to appear. Revealing their special abilities by jumping around the roofs of buildings was foolish because their Ashikabi might not see them. They wanted to be in places where lots of people were, and who knows, they might get lucky one day.

In actual fact, they lost _their_ MBI card the same time when Musubi lost hers. It would appear that during one of their encounters, the pair had got a bit too excited and the card had fallen out of their pockets. Ever since then, they had been just as poor as Musubi.

As sad as it was, Sekirei usually needed to consume more food than normal humans because of the high energy expenditure on a daily basis. Sure they were stronger, faster and what not, but they still needed to replenish themselves at the end of the day. Their electricity, as it was right now, wasn't even a tenth of what they could be doing. This was the main reason why Hikari had been so adamant that Musubi was to blame. If it weren't for her, they would currently be enjoying meals at five-star restaurants, not having to work at a maid café just to earn their keep.

Even as Kirito continued to sneer at her, Hikari's eyes remained unfocused, unable to hear what he was saying.

_I wonder now… if we truly were born into this world for love._

_If we were, then where is our Ashikabi? Is this the reward we get for trying so hard? What is the point in all this if all we end up being is incomplete Sekirei winged by an obnoxious bastard who didn't even care about us?_

_Hibiki… I'm sorry. If only I wasn't so careless, we wouldn't be in this position. I swear that I will get you and No. 88 out of here… even if it's the last thing I do!_

It was as though something clicked within her, and with a sudden start, her eyes flashed to life, a thundering roar echoing right through the area.

Kirito, who had been abusing her all this while, blinked for a second at the sudden change in his 'captive', yelled in confusion, "What the heck?"

Before any of them could react, Hikari had already raised her hand into his face, "Thunder Blast Cannon!"

Electricity crackled in the air as a concentrated beam of lightning coursed through her veins, before congregating on her open palm, before blasting right into the dumbfounded face of Kirito. The destructive capabilities behind the attack was nothing Kakizaki had imagined and could only stare on in fear as Hikari sent No. 93 collapsing into the ground electrocuted to the core.

"Why you!"

"Looks like that beating wasn't enough!"

Ichiya and Toyotama didn't let her take any breath in between and both were prepared to launch into a close-quarter combat again before a firm shout of 'Standing Needle Thunder' interrupted their concentration, and a blast of electricity threw them off course, forcing them to go on the defensive.

Hikari slowly turned her head, to find Hibiki limping as she gradually made her way to her side, "Nice one Sis, I knew you wouldn't go down so easily."

Returning her shaky grin with one of her own, the older twin glanced back to where No. 88 used to be, before asking, "So, I'm guessing you put up a barrier around her?"

Hibiki smiled slightly, "She's a good girl, and doesn't need to be involved in all this. She'll find her Ashikabi and be happy, and it's the least I can do after being so mean to her for the past three days."

"Are you blaming me for it?"

"Maybe. You know you're too stubborn for your own good, sis."

"Ha… yeah." Taking in a deep breath, knowing that she didn't have much time since she had chosen to exhaust her core, there was only one thing she could do.

"Hey you!" Glaring straight at the trembling man that was currently sprayed out on the floor with his hands in front of his face, as though scared that she would be going for him next, "You said you wanted this Higa dude to wing us eh? Well sorry to inform you, but Imma discharge myself completely and take down those two Sekirei of his with me as well!"

"W-what are you insinuating! You couldn't possibly choose to terminate yourself! You wouldn't have the gut – "

"Try me!" Hikari's smirk grew wide this time, despite how her knees were trembling from her current state of injuries, "Those two over there should understand what I mean. I've chosen to break my Sekirei core down, there's nothing left for me to do."

Ichiya and Toyotama stared at her in disbelief, before the first sign of fear finally crept onto their faces. If a Sekirei had chosen to break down their own core, it could only mean one thing, they've decided to expel all their remaining energy in one final blast, which would be equivalent to a self-destruction mechanism.

"Kakizaki, we need to get out of here _now_! She's serious about this!" Ichiya gritted her teeth as she thought about the punishments she would be receiving because No. 93 failed the mission, "Come on! Don't just sit there! We need to run now!"

"Don't think she's alone on this! You guys aren't going to get out of this. I'll be _making sure_ we go down together." Hibiki raised her left arm before speaking in a commanding tone, "Lightning Leash!"

Triple strands of lightning grew in the air before launching themselves at the three targets, intent on roping them to their spots, but unfortunately, Toyotama was able to react in time and threw her staff at the strands, allowing them to coil themselves around it instead, earning them the time required to escape before the detonation.

Kakizaki finally regained the ability to speak as he steadied his nerves, "Foolish beings! To think you would choose your death over being winged! Fine, have it your way! But don't even think about taking us with you! Kirito!"

To Hikari and Hibiki's surprise, the muscular Sekirei slowly got up, his entire body laboring from the point blank lightning blast he had received just moments ago, but it would seem that he could still move.

"Kill them! Make sure they do not leave this area ever!" Kakizaki commanded in an arrogant tone even as Ichiya dragged him along with her as they began running for the roofs, "Teach them a lesson and make Higa-sama proud!"

"Higa… sama… proud…" Apparently the electric attack did its job, seeing how Kirito wasn't exactly conscious at the moment, he was simply acting on pure instinct, with the name of his Ashikabi driving him on.

"Must… make Higa-sama… proud…" Raising his arm, he bellowed with an intensity even stronger than the one he had before, "MUST MAKE HIGA-SAMA PROUD!"

It was as if he had entered berserker mode, veins bulging along his muscles all over his limbs, neck and torso. Hikari and Hibiki stood on guard with their stances symmetrical to one another, ready for any attack that might come their way. Since they were both going to be 'terminated' soon anyway, there was no reason to fear any extra injuries that might happen to them.

**X – X **

"Kakizaki! What the heck are you doing?!" Toyotama's shriek was heard even as he ordered Ichiya to put him down on the roof of a building close to where they were.

"Shut up! I want to see them die before my eyes! They dare belittle our efforts by choosing to destroy themselves so as to make us fail our mission? Fine then! I shall take pleasure in watching them waste away their pitiful lives as Kirito crushes them into pieces!" A calculated glint appeared in his eyes as he continued with a sneer, "Besides, it would seem like I now have a reason to report Kirito as Terminated in Action (TIA) to Higa-sama."

Ichiya stared at him in disbelief, "You're just going to leave him there?! I thought he was supposed to hold them off before joining us!"

Kakizaki simply snorted, "Look at him. He's nothing but a pile of flesh anyway, after that blast from No. 11, he can't even stand up straight. He's too cocky for his own good, and Higa-sama has no use for trash like this."

"But!"

"The decision is final! Now shut up and watch! We need to write a full report on what happened. Besides, wouldn't you guys be exempted from punishment if I pushed the blame onto Kirito?"

Toyotama hesitated for a few moments, before shaking her head in resignation, "Fine, whatever you say."

No. 18 on the other hand, couldn't help but clench her fists, "You had no right to treat him as a pawn!"

The spectacled man eyed her in distaste, "I had _every_ right to do it. I'm under orders of Higa-sama, hence for the duration of this mission, I am the commander. You will follow my every order, is that clear? Besides, it's not like you liked that big musclehead."

Ichiya winced even as she scratched her head awkwardly, "Well yeah, but he's useful to have around. You know, for moving stuff."

Kakizaki started for a bit, before turning to her with a twitching eyebrow, "Can you not be so lazy for once and do you own packing? I know we're giving you a new room but how much stuff do you have?"

Toyotama giggled a bit at that, "Oh you have no idea."

"You guys don't even have time to wear them! You're in combat suits eighty percent of the day!"

"That is _sooo_ not true! We wear them in our down time!"

"You will _not_ use anyone from our company to help you move your clothes for you! I don't care if there's a hundred cartons of them!"

"There's actually more than that…" Toyotama's murmur seemed to shock even Ichiya, "Eh? Really?"

"Yeah we went shopping last week, remember?"

"Oh yeah… that's right, completely slipped my mind."

By this stage, Kakizaki felt an impending headache coming on. True, he didn't like Kirito, but to think these two over here only considered him as free labour, that was a bit sad, even for that musclehead.

_Oh well, everything will work out then! Those two insolent fools down there will perish, Kirito will also be terminated due to the 'accident', Ichiya and Toyotama can move their own damn clothes, and I can write a good report and return to Higa-sama safely! Perfect!_

"Ararara? I smell a conspiracy going on here."

All three members of the Higa company blinked, before staring at the blond that was now sitting cross legged right beside Kakizaki, with his right hand placed above his eyes, as though trying to see what was going down underneath with the Lightning twins and a crazed Kirito.

"What the?!"

"How did he – "

Easily evading the punches and kicks thrown at him by the two Sekirei, Naruto simply held onto Kakizaki and used him as a shield, "Tadaaa! Number Sixty Four of the Shinobi Book of Cheap Techniques – Human shield!"

Needless to say, the secretary of Higa was screaming like a girl as those fists and shoes retracted just a tad too late, with him suffering from a few minor scratches and bruises, nothing too serious. Still, it was quite a scare for him. One just didn't say he had a perfect plan and then have it ruined the next moment by a guy he didn't even know who he was!

"Name yourself Sekirei!" Adjusting his spectacles, ignoring the fact that he was currently suffering from a nosebleed, Kakizaki tried to play it cool, as though he had the upperhand, which he kinda thought he did. It was two-on-one after all, and seeing how this guy was at best one of those unnamed Sekirei whom they didn't even have on their scouting reports, then surely there was nothing to worry about?

"Yosh! Listen carefully! I am the!" Raising a finger into the sky, he grinned widely as he began launching quickly into a string of numbers, "Number nine hundred eighty seven billion six hundred fifty four million three hundred and twenty one thousand eleven hundred and twelve Sekirei!"

Silence ensued for a few seconds, before Ichiya finally bellowed, "Kill him! He's playing us for fools! Not even daring to give your own number?! What the heck is eleven hundred and twelve?!"

Toyotama beside her had a slight sweatdrop, _That's what you're angry about?_

Kakizaki seemed to have found his courage for a temporary second, "Y-you, d-do you even know who you're dealing with! I suggest you let go of me, or else the entire Higa empire will come after you! Don't think you can just walk away after meddling in our affairs!" That speech seemed to make him regain his confidence, as he raised his hand once again to adjust his glasses, only to be met by a pair of chilling cerulean orbs, completely unlike the playful ones before.

Ichiya and Toyotama both too, were frozen to their spots as an oppressive atmosphere grew, as if something had yelled out to their survival instincts to order them to stay _put_ or else…

"Meddling in _your_ affairs, you say?" Turning his head so that he could stare straight into the sweating Kakizaki, the blond didn't seem at all happy with the way he thinned his lips and the frown he had, "I was in the midst of giving Hana-chan a massage, and she was _this close_," He even held out his thumb and forefinger to show a gap of about a centimeter, "to agreeing to me giving her a _full body massage_. Then guess what, I find out that scums from the _East_," His emphasis on East had all three of them shivering in fear, "had dared to enter the Northern Sector and try to forcefully kidnap unwinged Sekirei for their master."

Cracking his knuckles on his free hand, finger by finger, Naruto leaned into Kakizaki, a raised eyebrow showing his irritation at the current situation, "Do you think that I give a crap about Higa Empires? They can't even take on MBI, so are you telling me that they can take on Trinity Inc? Hm? Come on, tell me."

Upon hearing that, the spectacled man gaped in surprise, "Y-you're not a Sekirei?"

"Let's not ask rhetorical questions. I had hoped not to disrupt the balance so soon, but since Higa felt it necessary to start invading other areas already, then you can help me bring a message back to him for me."

Naruto then held Kakizaki at arm's length, his eyes glowing bright as he spoke in a soft, commanding tone, "For Higa to have the guts to carry out kidnappings like this in the North, must mean that he's ready for war. That's okay, it was bound to happen sooner or later in this pathetic Sekirei Plan anyway. But," Adding a bit more force into his grip, Kakizaki soon found himself hard-pressed for air, "That doesn't mean that he can do whatever he wants."

With a casual flick of his wrist, Higa's secretary was flung right into the two female Sekirei, causing them to all fall into a heap even as Naruto stood with his head held high before them, his body slightly slanted to the left, his eyes holding a look of complete disdain, "This is strike one. I'll take that brute's head and deliver it back to Higa headquarters by mail since I don't feel like going to meet the scum yet. Strike two, I'll actively start hunting for your Sekirei and terminate them because I can. Once it's strike three, then it's not just going to be a physical war, I will make sure Higa Empires go bankrupt. If he believes he can beat Trinity Inc, then by all means, continue to test my patience. I wouldn't mind teaching a lesson to an arrogant brat that thinks he's hot stuff because he's got money and few overpowered aliens on his side."

At that instant, surreal terror and dread loomed right over the three as a blurry image of a gigantic, fiery red fox appeared directly above the blond, its roars seeming to strike fear directly into their soul as images of the hundreds and thousands of different ways in which they would die by his hands rushed through their brains within the second, one after another, continuing their relentless assault until the Sekirei were screaming bloody murder. Kakizaki, being a normal human, couldn't take the mental stress and had fainted instantly.

"Oh by the way, I'll make it easier for him. My name is Uzumaki Naruto, tell him to search up whatever he wants from the web, from the government database, whatever. I don't care. You two have seen me now, so if he uses the excuse that he doesn't know who I am the next time he crosses the line, I'll rip his head off." His cheerful tone seemed ever so deadly even as he took a single step forward, causing both Sekirei to flinch violently as they struggled to get away from him, as _far_ away from him as they could, but their limbs were all limp from the horror they had just witnessed.

"Is that clear?" Those nine tails of the crimson fox flourished majestically as he asked in an easy-going way.

Neither Sekirei found it in their voices to answer; it was all they could do to force themselves to nod.

In a flash, the malevolent aura was gone and everything returned back to normal, but the female Sekirei knew they had just been issued a warning. Never before had they felt a killing intent so strong that it had rendered them so helpless. It was as though their body had forced its own shut down against a greater power, not daring to do _anything_ in the presence of a stronger being, for the good of their owner.

"Now scram, take that sorry excuse of a human with you and make sure you give the message to your master. The head of this Sekirei should be arriving within the next day or two. I don't make promises I can't keep after all."

At this point, Ichiya and Toyotama couldn't care less about what happened to Kirito's head as long as _their own_ was still with them at the end of the day, and without another word, they had leapt off into the air, securing the unconscious Kakizaki under their armpits as they dashed off as quickly as they could.

They didn't even dare think of asking just who this… this… person was. The amount of power one must have had to project such intent to kill, it was just _unreal_! Knowing that it was extremely urgent for them to relay everything that had happened here tonight back to their master, the two Sekirei picked up their pace, and before long, left the Northern Sector completely.

Naruto, on the other hand, simply sighed as he shook his head. He had really wanted to just take this whole thing nice and easy, flirting around a bit every now and then, slowly getting into the flow of this stupid Sekirei game, and_ then_ start administering the hurt.

_Oh well, it has been awhile since I let loose anyway. I really wouldn't mind killing an enemy or two every now and then._

As someone who had successfully survived in the Shinobi era, or so he had dubbed it, for ninety nine years, Uzumaki Naruto had pretty much witnessed all the agonies and sorrows that a human could experience. Anything that ranged from rape to cold-blooded murder, gambling scams to government corruption, fake alliances between countries to all-out economic war against neighbouring villages, Naruto could easily say that he had seen them all.

When he was still young, taking a life in this world seemed so wrong, and yes, it was. Everyone was equal, and no one had the right to simply _take_ another person's life. But as the years went by, the question then begets itself, who was truly equal in an era like this?

Shinobi would always be stronger than civilians, be it politically or physically. Daimyos would always hold absolute control over countries, not the Kages. There was no such _thing _as 'equal'. Then what should one do in such a corrupted world? If no one wanted to rid the world of the evil that certain individuals were determined to spread, then what would happen to the world they all so love?

Power will corrupt. It didn't matter who it was. To a certain extent, one's personality would change according to the amount of power he had, because it was a simple fact. With power came responsibility, and when one had responsibility, he had a lot more to look after. Uzumaki Naruto, as the Rokudaime Hokage, was one of the most ruthless leaders ever to be born in the Fire country. Any betrayals, illegal acts and disloyalties were acted upon quicker than one could say their own name. He ruled with an iron hand, ensuring that certain acts were never given the chance to spread. Some things just had to be nipped in the bud.

Hence, two thousand years later, it was with no surprise that Naruto didn't really give a crap about killing anyone. If he actually put his mind to assassinating someone, no one in this current world would be able to find evidence against him. Elite shinobi like himself was just _that good_ at their jobs.

If Higa truly was that foolish, then it was his loss.

Shaking his head, Naruto gave a short sigh before turning back to the fight that was still going on below. It was for them that he had come after all. Wouldn't do to have them perish because of something so stupid, now would it?

No, no, it wouldn't. Stupid rhetorical questions.

**X – X**

The lightning twins were clearly at their limits. Hikari wasn't able to move around a lot given her fractured knee cap, and Hibiki had quite a lot less in terms of offensive power given how one arm was currently hanging loosely from its socket. All in all, it would seem that they were more on the defensive than anything. It couldn't be helped, this particular Sekirei just had incredible offensive power and with his size, while not grotesquely big, still stood tall at six feet and weighed two hundred pounds. Compared to him, the Lightning sisters were considerably smaller, seeing how their weight combined together was still lighter than what he weighed.

In such narrow quarters, it was extremely hard for the Lightning twins to use their full strength, and now, with rubble all over the place plus their restricted ability to move around, it was extremely hard for them to find a terrain that would suit them better.

Add that onto the fact that they were low on energy to start the fight, this really was quite a one-sided battle. It was quite admirable that No. 11 and 12 had been able to hold their own for so long, despite their initial beat-down at the hands of No. 93.

They were both panting heavily, with limbs feeling heavy as lead, their brains fuzzy from the lack of power left within their body, and unfortunately for them, the musclehead was charging at them once more.

"What does it take for this guy to go down?! I know there are only a few male Sekirei but seriously, what kind of adjustments did this guy undergo?!" Hikari yelled in frustration as she was forced to roll to the side so as to refrain from injuring her leg any further as she collapsed to the ground in exhaustion.

Hibiki on the other hand, had chosen to jump right over the muscular Sekirei, not looking too much better herself. She was never that advanced in terms of her offensive skillset, focusing more on accuracy and speed instead. When those factors were severely cut back, she really didn't have that to dish out that could actually stop the continuous rampage of their enemy.

They must have been targeted for quite some time now, seeing how the enemy had actually exploited their weaknesses to perfection, taking all of their abilities into account. Had Hikari not chosen to break down her core, they would have been driven to the brink of exhaustion and forcefully dragged to the East for that Higa guy to wing. A deadly plan, if there ever was one.

Suddenly, a boisterous voice rang out in the area, "What are you, stupid? Who wears a maid outfit during a fight like this? Bloody hell! You're already slow enough as it is!"

Hibiki blinked in surprise as her head turned towards the source of the voice, whereas Hikari had instantly retorted in a ferocious manner with what little energy she had left, "Shut the hell up! You think we want to wear this?! We were ambushed you stupid bastard!"

Sitting there right beside a sleeping Musubi, was a young human male (a fact they would later on find out to be quite false) with spiky blond hair that seemed to glow in the dark, sky-blue eyes and a feral smirk. He was sitting cross-legged even as he lightly stroked the head of the Fist Sekirei, who somehow started purring in her sleep, as though enjoying the administrations she was currently receiving. A faint emerald radiance engulfed her entire being, and before long, the injuries that she had on her before slowly started to heal, with smoke hissing out from the wounds. It was actually quite a simple procedure of speeding up the cell regeneration speed, something he had learned from Tsunade a while ago. Instead of actually using chakra to 'heal' the wound as an external stimulant, Naruto was actually able to force his chakra into the body of the person he wanted to heal, and make it act from within, as though that chakra was part of the injured person.

He had tried to teach his friends how to do it, but then came to the conclusion that only he could do it. The reason once again being that he had the chakra to spare and they didn't. He had complained that the excuse was getting old but Tsunade only snorted and whacked him on the head, and began lecturing him about how 'brutal' his way really was in some ways. The amount of chakra _wasted_ as he carried out the process was incredible. Simply put, it was a _very_ inefficient process. Say your chakra output was one hundred percent and you tried to send your chakra into the body of the wounded, the actual chakra that would be successfully sent in was about three percent.

Anything that wasted ninety-seven percent of your chakra was deemed useless. With that ninety-seven percent, you could have done a ton of other medical procedures that while not as fast, would be just as effective. Naturally, for Naruto, wasting ninety-seven percent didn't mean much to him because he would just draw on the chakra in the surroundings, replenish his own, and recharge easily. Sage mode was useful like that, he just didn't realize he was doing it until Tsunade pointed it out to him. It wasn't even a conscious move, it was like he was put on 'auto' at all times.

With a shrug of his shoulders, he stood up, holding Musubi carefully in his arms as he raised an eyebrow, "Should you really be yelling at me? You look like you're about to faint any second."

Hibiki held up a hand, preventing her already exhausted sister from yelling anymore, before she asked in a cautious tone, "Could it be that… you're the 'Naruto-san' that she was talking about?"

This time, Naruto actually raised both eyebrows in surprise, "How did you guess? I could've been your enemy, you know."

Shaking her head, Hibiki was about to answer when No. 93 started rushing her once more, not at all happy that he was being ignored. He needed to make HIga-sama proud, couldn't these bitches understand that?!

Without so much as moving a finger, Naruto simply stared at the brute before directing a strong dose of killing intent at him, effectively stopping him in his steps, forcing him to kneel on the ground until further instructed. It would seem that while he wasn't as effected by the illusions of his death as the other two female Sekirei from before, he was still struggling to cope with the invisible pressure that he felt on his shoulders, the weight of the amount of people he had injured so far, as though they were all trying to drag him down.

Needless to say, both Hikari and Hibiki could only gape in surprise at how easily he was subdued, before turning their stares back onto the blond, as though waiting for an explanation.

Naruto simply motioned for Hibiki to continue, "Go on."

Hesitating, but deciding that since she was about to be terminated anyway, she might as well try her luck with this person, "No. 88 has told us about how nice you were to her on a few occasions and that you encouraged her to find the Ashikabi that she reacted to. She said that her Naruto-san would always stroke her head lovingly and was the nicest person in the world. You seemed to fit that description and I just thought…"

"Haha, nicest person in the world eh? Sounds like something Musubi-chan would say, but yes, you're right, I am that Naruto-san she was talking about."

Before Hibiki could continue, Hikari had already spoken up, struggling to get up from the floor, "Then take her and leave! There's nothing you can do for us anyway. We have decided to break down our cores and detonate this entire building, that brute along with it. We won't be doing too much damage to the surroundings, since this building was about to be demolished anyway. Now go, before it's too late! I can already feel my control over electricity fading by the second as the energy began destabilizing itself."

The blond simply chuckled in return, before flicking his head in her sister's direction, "You sure? I'm pretty certain that your twin wanted to ask me something about my powers helping you guys. Aren't you the least bit surprised that I managed to heal Musubi-chan? I could try and heal you guys too, you know. All you need to do is ask."

"Sis! I know you're still worried about the resulting detonation and what it might do to civilians around the building, wouldn't it better if we could maybe ask Naruto-san what he can do to help? He isn't a normal human like others! You saw how easily he managed to subdue – "

"No! There is no time! The longer they stay, the more danger they'll be in." Hikari smiled wearily, "I don't want her to lose her Ashikabi just because we can't find ours, Hibiki. I will not allow our failure to be a burden to others, especially not to a girl so full of hope and love." The older twin weakly waved her hand as she tried to act tough, "Go! I promised myself that I will take him down with me, so you don't have to worry about me! But, if there's any way you can save Hibiki, then by all means, take her away."

"What?! Are you out of your mind, sis? I'm not going anywhere!" The younger twin protested vehemently as though shocked that her sister would even suggest a thing like this, "We're in this together! You've already suffered so much for me, even when we were wandering around in the streets searching for jobs! You would always leave me the tastiest foods that we could manage to afford, choosing to eat the cheap ones yourself. You would volunteer for all the errands that required physical labour, leaving me the slightly less taxing jobs! I know you're just trying to take care of me, and I appreciate it! But not this time! I will not let you be the only one to bear the consequences! I will stand by your side even in the face of death itself!"

Turning towards the surprisingly calm blond who had a relieved expression on his face, Hibiki felt a slight hint of anger towards him, as though blaming him for being so happy that he would be able to leave them there, before throwing that aside and saying, "Sis is right, Naruto-san, I wish you and Musubi a happy life. Now go!"

Naruto had tilted his head to the side, scrutinizing over the two sisters who were currently hugging each other even as tears rolled down their cheeks, before a true smile came onto his lips, "Alright, if that's your choice, so be it."

Without another word, Naruto had turned on his heels and vanished into the distance, leaving behind the Lightning Twins.

Neither of them said a word, even as No. 93 got up from the ground shakily, and once more began making his way towards them. There really was no need to say anymore. Their core was about to detonate any moment now, besides, they were twins, they could read each other's thoughts simply by the looks on the other's face.

_Any regrets?_

_Nope! As long as I'm with Sis, it's all going to be alright! _

_I'm sorry, Hibiki… if only I hadn't been so stubborn, we could have avoided all this…_

_Hehe, no we can't. Sis will just get angry at something else and they would have cornered us anyway. _

_Ah! Are you making fun of me?_

_Why yes! Of course I am!_

_Brat! _

_Hehe!_

"Raaawwwrrr!" Kirito himself was pushing himself past his limit, determined to take down the two females that had dared to resist him.

Hikari took one glance at him, and giggled, "Well, might as well finish this eh?"

"You got it sis!" With a flourish, she removed her maid outfit, exposing the revealing violet combat suit she wore beneath it, "Let's go out with a bang, eh?"

Copying the actions of her sister, Hikari was now seen to be wearing a similar outfit, only darker in colour, "My thoughts exactly!"

Without warning, Hibiki charged right on, as though intending to clash straight up with Kirito, whereas Hikari stayed behind, her hands clasped together into a horizontal hold in front of her chest, charging up whatever energy she had left within her control.

"Fool! You think you can beat me in terms of pure strength?! Come then! I'll crush you into bits!"

Hibiki ignored his taunt and continued on her path, before lashing with her left hand completely covered in electricity, "Thunder Spear!" The strike was enough to slightly slow down the advancement of Kirito, giving the younger twin enough time to launch herself into the air, just as the muscular sekirei rushed past her.

It was at that moment, both of them felt it, the pulse of energy within them flaring up and within seconds, both Lightning Sekirei found themselves engulfed in a torrent of crackling electricity, their power extremely unstable, sending out occasional blasts to the surroundings.

"NOW!" With whatever strength they had left in them, both of them launched themselves towards the stunned Kirito, successfully sandwiching him between both torrents of electricity, with the energy grinding straight into his body, slicing through his torso, leaving two gigantic holes in his torso even as the twins landed on top of each other after the attack, their vitality spent.

Kirito remained standing before he was swallowed by a vibrant flash of gold, his entire being caught within the vortex of electricity, threatening to evaporate his very existence, burning right through his skin, muscles and hair. The screams of pain reverberated in the area for quite a while, before No. 93 fell down face-first into the ground, all signs of life gone from his body. It was clearly a level 5 injury, signifying the termination of the muscular Sekirei.

Hibiki and Hikari knew they were done too. They couldn't even move a single finger and it wasn't long before they both lost consciousness. Their heartbeat had slowly come to a halt, eyes closed with a small smile on their lips. They didn't _lose_. They had successfully taken out that Sekirei like they had promised.

_That… should be enough. It's been fun while it lasted, Hibiki._

_Yeah, but I still feel kinda sad, I mean we're going to be stuck in the laboratories again._

_Well, at least we won't be starving, that's for sure._

_Even so, I'm quite jealous of that girl._

_No. 88? Why? _

_Well, she found the one for her! _

_Really? I thought she didn't react to him!_

_That might be the case for now, but it's clear to anyone who sees them together, the way she so subtly leaned into his touch and how his eyes never left her even as he conversed with us. I wonder what it would be like to have an Ashikabi, Sis._

_Yeah, it would have been cool if we could have experienced it eh?_

"You know, I just don't get you women."

_Huh? Who's that?_

"Why can't you just ask for help when you need it? Does it really feel that good to take on everything by yourself?"

_That voice…_

"Dying won't solve anything, you know. Since you envy Musubi-chan that much, you could have asked nicely for me to heal you guys, and went on your merry way to find him, but nooooo, you had to go kill yourselves. Guess you guys are really into that S&M stuff, though you might be taking it a bit too far."

_S&M stuff? What the heck are you on about?_

"Well, look at the clothes you guys are wearing, need I say more?"

_These are combat suits! Combat I tell you! _

"I bet you're the S one and Hibiki-chan's M."

… _Blush…._

_HIBIKI! Why are you blushing?!_

"You might even be tsundere now that I think about it."

_WHAT?!_

"Ah let's just cut this short, we could be going on for ages with this, now get your asses in here."

The next thing the twins knew, they were enveloped by a blinding white shroud, before they appeared in a room with what appeared to be glowing red symbols all over the place.

"Undress, sit, shut up and watch." The blond that had been conversing with them all this while simply gestured towards the middle of the sealing circle even as he continued to design his impromptu healing equation.

"Who are you to just order us around?! We're already dead! There's nothing you can do about it!" Hikari grumbled in annoyance even though she followed his instructions and sat herself down. Hibiki simply chuckled before making 'tsun tsun' sounds which in turn had her sister blushing a bright red.

Naruto simply snorted at her comment before replying in a firm tone, "I hate to disappoint your 'faith' in me, but I've gotta say, for as long as I've lived," His cerulean orbs centered in on the two naked Sekirei who suddenly felt their breaths hitch, "No one has been able to die in front of me unless_ I allow it_."

Before they knew it, the entire room illuminated as Naruto summoned his Sage chakra, drawing upon the pure life force present within the lifestream as his body flared with his incredible chakra capacity. It was then, that both Hikari and HIbiki felt the greatest _jolt_ they had ever experienced, their bodies flushed with heat, their eyes smoldered with desire and lust, and their hearts ramming against their rib cage with the speed at which it was beating.

It was a _very_ violent reaction, to say the least.

Ignoring them for the time being, Naruto pressed on with his seals, letting his blood flow right into the seals as cuts and slices rained all over his body. It was the price he had to pay for attempting to draw energy from the lifestream so soon. Normally he was restricted to once every fortnight, but now he was doing it for the second time on the same day, naturally, his body, no matter how strong it was, could not fully withstand the pressure whilst acting as a medium. He no longer had Kurama to support him and had to depend solely on his control over the energy, something he had been training for the past twenty years. Even then, he still suffered from the imbalances of energy, which was why some of his blood vessels under his skin had split open, with the blood squirting out from the wounds that had developed.

Reviving the Sekirei core took the same amount of effort as it did reviving a Shinobi's chakra core. He had carried out a sealing process like this years ago in Konoha, where he had helped restructure Neji's chakra system since he had been unfortunately poisoned in the Fourth Great Shinobi War. It was way more painful back then, considering how he was nowhere near the prowess he currently had in Sage Mode training.

As he expected, it didn't take long before he successfully reformed their cores, however, that once again left the problem of an imbalance of energies. However, the twins seemed to have decided to take matters into their own hands and cradled him in their arms the moment he collapsed onto the ground, their eyes brimming with tears at the amount of damage this man had taken just to heal them. They couldn't believe that _anyone_ in this world would actually sacrifice this much blood for them.

They had never thought that their life actually held meaning, that someone would actually understand them so thoroughly, protect them so completely and love them enough to _die_ for them. Though the blond had never said anything, the look in his eyes as he carried out the recovery ritual said it all. It was potent and unhindered, the sheer adoration and care within those sky-blue orbs was proof enough.

All this time, they had been trying so hard to find their Ashikabi, someone who would look at them this way, someone who would care about them this way, someone who wouldn't hesitate to heal their lonely hearts and souls after enduring so many disappointments. He was _the one_!

_There will be no regrets in us satisfying our curiosities._

_This is a new world waiting, for us to explore all possibilities._

_There is no guarantee as we go on with our lives, but we both know that hope is within sight._

_What is the best that we can do? Our hearts are aching even as he lay before us; our world is changing because he has saved us. _

_We must not give up, because that is not what he wants. We must handle it with no hesitation, there is no turning back and we shall fulfill our destiny!_

_What me must now do, is to fall in love. Believe in ourselves, believe in our 'him', and we will share our pleasure, keeping our souls and dreams alive, facing our future together as one! _

_Ashikabi-sama… I will be your spear, cutting down your enemies, clearing your path._

_Ashikabi-sama… I will be your shield, protecting you from harm, ensuring your safety._

_Ikuhisashiku! _

Just like before, Naruto felt his chakra replenish itself at an alarming rate, even as the girls writhed and moaned as his hands wandered all over their bodies, giving his full attention to both of them as he drove them over the brink of ecstasy, their bodies entangling his with them on either side of him, their lips raining kisses down his torso even as they experienced bliss beyond description, as though they had just been made _complete_.

It would be quite a while later when Naruto would lay there, holding each girl closely to his body as he rolled his eyes, "Now you see why I didn't just jump in and help you guys? You two would have reacted right then and there, like cats in heat and jumped me."

Hikari, being deeply embarrassed by how much truth there was in his words, could find no comeback to that and instead chose to bite down hard on his arm, which was currently nested comfortably between her shapely breasts.

Hibiki felt her blush come on once more as she remembered how wild she had been and the pleasure that had coursed through her body. _So this is what it feels like to be loved_.

In the future, this would become a running joke for quite a while, where all the other Sekirei at Izumo Inn would giggle at how the twins had dominated Naruto into becoming their Ashikabi, staying true to their S&M outfits. Musubi would always pout in indignation at how the twins were winged before her. Needless to say, the twins had to endure quite a bit of teasing and playful humiliation before Naruto came to their rescue.

"And to think I was just going out for a drink of Sake… so damn troublesome…"

"Ah! Are you trying to get rid of us after all you've done to us?!" Hikari eyed him with a glare even as she tightened his hold on him, almost afraid that he would really just up and leave, "Don't you dare run out on us now!"

Naruto simply raised an eyebrow at her, seeing the tension and insecurity behind those hazel eyes, before reaching down with his fingers and lightly brushed against a particular sensitive spot, "Someone seems to have forgotten who's the guy in charge here."

Barely stifling a moan, Hikari felt her worries float away and almost willed herself to melt into his body just so she could enjoy that sensation once more, "Ah! Iya! How can you still want like that? Didn't we already…" She then temporarily lost her ability of speech as his fingers picked up pace, slowly digging themselves within her, stroking that particular spot she was extremely vulnerable to.

"Mo, did you forget about me?" Hibiki leaned into him like a kitty, nuzzling her face on his cheek even as she licked his neck, before sucking lightly on his ear lobe, "I can't let Sis have all the fun." Her hands roamed all over his body, enjoying the texture that she felt underneath her palms and the silent power that was brimming beneath his skin. Finally finding the organ she was looking for, she playfully fiddled around with it even as she felt it grow to an alarming size, licking her lips like a cat who's found her cream.

"That's it! You asked for it!"

"Aaaaah! Save me Sis!"

Instead, Hikari launched herself onto Naruto's back, "You insatiable bastard, why must my Ashikabi be someone as perverted as you?"

Grabbing her chin in one strong move, Naruto smirked deviously as his eyes locked onto the misty ones of the older twin, "Are you complaining?"

Unable to hold in her desire, she pressed her lips onto his with a need so strong that it scared herself. She had never thought she would really react this strongly to _anyone_, to be honest. This made her previous choices for Ashikabi pathetic little boys compared to what this _man_ was making her feel.

There was just something about the way he made love to her that had her feeling safe, satisfied and treasured.

Hibiki forced herself into a sitting position as she straddled her new Ashikabi, "Aishiteru, Ashikabi-sama."

"I love you too, Hibiki." Disengaging himself from his lip-locking session with Hikari, he leaned around and caught HIbiki's ready lips instead, their tongues battling for dominance before finally Naruto took control. The fact that their taste was so similar was enough to remind Naruto that he was currently the Ashikabi of a pair of _twins_, and that alone was arousing to no end.

It was the every man's dream after all.

Hikari then chose to occupy herself with brushing her luscious body over Naruto's back even as she mumbled, "That's cheating Hibiki, saying that before I did…"

"Oh? This is something I need to hear, Tsundere-chan actually telling me she loves me? I wouldn't miss it for the world." This of course, earned him a smack on the back as he cheekily grinned at the Sekirei that was currently blushing harder than ever.

"Don't call me that!"

"But Tsundere-chan sounds so cute! Come now, don't try to change the subject, say it."

"Y-you – "

"_Say it_."

"A-ais-shitem-masu… Ashikabi-sama."

"Good girl. And here's your reward."

"Huh? Mmphh! Hmmm." Her lips were too busy to make any further responses.

"Hehe, now look at who's hogging him."

_Thank you for saving us, Ashikabi-sama… _

_I love you, with all my heart, Ashikabi-sama…_

_We will never let you down, because you were the one to give us another chance at life, and we will always be by your side, for as long as we live. Forever Eternal._

**X – X **

**Uzumaki Naruto – North Sector, Izumo Inn, Special Consultant of Trinity Inc, now Ashikabi of No. 7, 11 and 12.**

**Database update complete, system returning to hibernation in 3… 2… 1… All systems shut down.**

* * *

_**And Cut! Wow, that was long. I know you guys must have a lot of questions (as usual) but that's good! That means I will be getting reviews (I better), right? **_

_**Well, I think I need to say 'Surprise!' I really didn't think I would go this way, but I thought, what the heck, might as well try it. How many of you actually saw that coming? I sure didn't.**_

_**I'm a bit disappointed with my fighting scenes though. They were a bit too bland, so I'll have to work on them. It's been a while since I've written any after all. Btw, No. 93 was just made up. I figured they can't all be cute girls, there must be some variation to them, so I made a bulky guy instead. Not the best of my creations I must say, but cut me some slack eh?**_

_**That aside, please do tell me your thoughts on this chapter, it **_**is**_** the longest so far after all. If you're confused as to what happened to Kazehana and Musubi because I stopped mentioning them in the later parts of the chapter, don't worry, I'll explain it in next chapter (just like before). **_

_**That being said, I am exhausted, but unlike Naruto, I have no twins to help me recover (the harsh realities of life), so I'll just sign out and go play some NBA 2K. **_

_**Weixuan18, out. **_


	5. Chapter 4: Quite the Predicament

_**A/N: Really not that much to say this time around. One thing some of you noted correctly was that quite a lot had already happened in Naruto's first day here, and that the pace was a bit too fast and pushy. My explanation is that Naruto's power was the reason why so much happened. If he is to be as strong as I make him out to be, then it wouldn't be too illogical to say that it was possible for all these things to happen so soon. But don't worry, I'll be slowing it down a bit as we go. For those of you who know me from long ago, you'd remember that I love character development, so I'll be working on that as we go.**_

_**Now, since most of you just wanted to know what I did with Kazehana and Musubi, so might as well just cut to the chase and start the chap eh?**_

_**Chapter 4 go!**_

* * *

A Second Journey

Chapter 4: Quite the Predicament

"Uzumaki-san."

"Hai."

"Did you even listen to _anything_ I told you two hours ago?" Eyebrow twitch.

"Er… I don't think you want to hear the answer I have for you so erm…" Fidget, fidget.

After the healing process completed, Naruto and the Lightning twins were back in the real world once again, and he formally introduced himself as Uzumaki Naruto – Shinobi extraordinaire!

When Hibiki quietly asked what a Shinobi extraordinaire did, Naruto grinned and answered, "Nothing whatsoever!"

Hikari was about to fry him with one good lightning bolt before the blond showed her his wallet. The amount of notes in it was enough to divert her attention.

_How can you have so much money if you don't work? They can't be robbed from banks because we would have heard it on the news! _

_Oh ho ho! That's why it's so extraordinary!_

Both girls whacked him on the head after hearing his extremely dry reply, which left the blond mumbling all the way back to Izumo Inn that nobody appreciated his humour anymore.

The question then rose as to why the blond had actually come back for them even after Hikari told him they didn't need his help. Naruto rolled his eyes and replied that he saw through their 'tough' act easily and knew that deep down inside, they were just a couple of unfortunate girls who had seen too much to continue hoping.

It wasn't the first time he had seen looks like that, in a Shinobi era, it wasn't the soulless eyes that were to be expected as many would believe, it was the ones with a resignation within them that nothing would change. Basically a pathetic version of Neji. At least Neji was strong.

Then came the question of who was Neji. Naruto wasn't sure how to answer that one and danced around the topic, diverting their attention to where Musubi went. That dug himself another grave because he had sent Musubi back to Izumo inn using a clone, and he couldn't exactly explain to the Lightning twins _why_ he could use clones, so he had to beat around the bush once more, this time choosing to give them a brief introduction about the other residents of Izumo Inn, their home from now on.

_Landlady, Asama Miya, dangerous._

_Resident 1, Kagari-san, amoeba. _

_Resident 2, Uzume, busty._

That of course, earned him another smack on the head, because that introduction was as weird as it could get. What kind of a description was 'amoeba'?

They were also surprised to hear from him that he had already winged another Sekirei, and when asked which one it was, he told them it was Akitsu, an ice elemental Sekirei. That alone had got them to drop their jaws and gape at him in something akin to awe and disbelief at the same time.

_But, but she's a scrapped number! You can't wing scrapped numbers!_

_Yes you can. You just gotta be awesome. Like me. Savvy?_

By then, both girls knew that they should pretty much ignore his answers ninety percent of the time, lest they be driven crazy being his Sekirei. All along the road when they slowly walked back to Izumo Inn, the girls had hit him countless times, but never too hard, because they could sense the joy he was feeling through the bond, and that alone warmed them. This Ashikabi of theirs, whilst probably the most carefree of them all, felt genuinely happy that he was able to help them.

Not wing them, _help them_.

It was quite a big difference. They could easily feel the whirlpool of energy swirling within him, hinting at the power that lay within his well-built body. One really wouldn't be able to tell that unless they took his clothes off, because with that jacket he had on, he looked like any other normal teenager on the streets.

Hikari and Hibiki witnessed firsthand the strength, endurance and power brimming beneath his skin. To think that he was able to suppress his energy to this extent alone spoke volumes of his control. They had sent question marks down the bond countless times, trying to get him to answer their questions properly, only to be swayed by his perverted comments and playful teasing.

As much as they hated to admit it, he was a wonderful companion. There were just so many ways he employed to get them to laugh, and so many different tactics to get them to blush with all these positive emotions rushing around in their chest. It was a pleasant change from before, where the sisters could barely find something to cheer about, only taking pleasure in their daily banter to find themselves something to cheer them up.

Now, however, they had someone else to include, and that particular person was hitting all their laughing points with ease, and through that, he got to know them better. Different words elicited different reactions for different people, and by understanding their personalities and tendencies, it was really easy to become friends with them. Naruto was like _the_ master of that, not just because he was a Shinobi, but because he genuinely wanted to be friends with them. This was the reason why Naruto was the child of prophecy back in his time. There had to be something you believed in if you wanted to be happy all the time, and Naruto believed that everyone should be friends.

If everyone were friends, then there would be no need for war, right?

So he went out and proved it. It was just in his genes for him to develop that natural charisma, nothing like the ones who either train themselves to be proficient at it or simply fake it. Naruto just had that ability to draw people to him, and he had that uncanny ability to exploit their traits in a ridiculously short period of time. This was also aided by his vast amount of experience he gained from being a Shinobi, and he had put that knowledge to good use.

Interestingly enough, one of the best-sellers currently available on the market was written by an author named 'Gutsy Ninja'. Title of the book was pretty generic, 'Charisma 101: How to get people to like you'. It was published by Trinity Inc about three years ago in seven different languages, and even till today, that book was used by people all over the world as a guide on how they go about their daily lives.

Though there must have been a reason why envious glares were thrown at him as they made their way home. It was kind of hard to move quickly with Hikari snuggling his right arm between her breasts and Hibiki leaning into his left arm as she held his hand tightly. It was quite obvious that guys all over the streets were trying to kill him with their eyes, given his 'lucky' position.

It was one thing to be enveloped by twins. It was another to be enveloped by a pair of hot, sensual woman dressed in lascivious body suits that looked strangely like S&M outfits. At this time of the night, for a man to be hugging both women as they walked down the streets, there could only be one _logical_ destination for them!

_Hahaha! Sucks to be you guys! They're mine! Mine you hear?! You can glare all you like, but them busts and booties are all mine! Mwahahaha!_

Needless to say, Hikari and Hibiki felt their faces light up once more. How was he able to do say such lewd and comments with such ease?!

Naruto would then argue that he didn't actually say it out loud, but just sent it through the bond to tease them further, which naturally earned him more whacks.

All in all, it was a pretty peaceful and enjoyable trip back to Izumo Inn. It almost got him to forget about the pain at not being able to give Kazehana her full-body massage (not that the woman would agree anyway, but he was assuming she would) and the fact that there was a certain Hannya waiting for her back at the Inn.

Which was why he was currently sitting in Seiza once again with Miya tapping her ladle against her left palm as she stared at him with a look so angelic that it acted as a huge contrast to the Hannya mask beside her. Naturally, this was the first time the twins saw the mask, so their reaction was just like everyone else's – scared stiff.

Naruto actually had to make an effort to look interested in the mask as he beckoned for it to move over next to him, but that was prevented when Miya not only evolved its facial features but increased it in size as well, with a much more tyrannical aura, causing chills to run down the spines of pretty much all the occupants in the room. Other than Naruto, of course.

Akitsu was sitting idly beside Uzume, who was still gushing over how absolutely gorgeous the Ice Sekirei looked in her new clothes. It was a snow-white Kimono held together at the waist by a dark blue obi and a set of shiny chains that circled around her neck and bosom. Musubi was absent and was currently sleeping in Naruto's room, recovering from her harsh physical encounter with Higa's sekirei.

Hikari and Hibiki meanwhile, were sitting beside Akitsu, admiring just how _radiant_ she now looked. She seemed to be a completely different person from when they were all kept back in the laboratories. For one, the Akitsu they had seen back at MBI would _never_ smile. Not even a tiny one.

Yet here she was, welcoming them with a tenderness that they had not expected from a Sekirei of her caliber. The old rumour that single digits were much stronger was locked into their minds and after sensing that fountain of energy that resided within her through the bond between her and their Ashikabi, they knew that rumour was nothing but the truth. Akitsu had smiled softly as she gave them each a hug, welcoming them to this new 'family', and before long, the three girls were involved in a quiet conversation revolving around their mysterious Ashikabi.

Imagine their surprise when they found out that Akitsu was winged only a few hours before they were, and he had only met Musubi today as well. What kind of luck did this guy have to be able to meet them _all_ in just one day?!

_You've got to be kidding me… just how strong is he?_

It was clear to anyone who was familiar with Sekirei that the strength of an Ashikabi depended on how many Sekirei he or she had. The hidden meaning was that the strength of an Ashikabi was directly proportional to his ability to attract Sekirei to him. For him to meet four (actually much more than that if they were to count the ones in Izumo Inn plus Kazehana) and wing three in one day was just incredible!

Of course, no matter how 'strong' Naruto was, it didn't mean that he could escape Miya's lectures.

"Would you mind explaining why you have brought back two helpless girls whom you have forced to wear such outrageous outfits?" She somehow had four ladles, two on her hand, two floating above her feet.

"Ara, Miya-san, you've managed to learn psychokinesis eh?"

"U-zu-ma-ki-san."

"I didn't ask them to wear them! They _came with them_! Besides, you can't blame me on something Aki-chan herself chose to wear! I refuse to take responsibility on such preposterous claims! I am utterly disgusted at your lack of trust in me, Miya-san. I must say I expected better of you. To think you would dish out such lowly judgments without any hesitation. Why, if I were to have my say, I would – "

"U-ZU-MA-KI-SAN."

"I'm really sorry. Please don't hit me with your four-sword style."

Uzume was once again guffawing on the side, simply unable to contain her mirth at the scene before her, "I have to give it to you though, you certainly work fast. In the just a few hours, you've managed to bring back four different girls with you, three of whom seemed to be quite happy to give in to your S&M needs."

Upon hearing that, Naruto instantly stood up in a proud position, his head held high, "Uzumaki Naruto never fails to surprise! For he is the world's most perverted man ever!"

Silence ensued for a few moments, before Uzume cracked up laughing again, with Akitsu chuckling lightly along with her. Hikari and Hibiki though, could only blush in embarrassment at the antics of their new Ashikabi.

_Why did we agree to getting winged by this guy again?_

"Well, well, it seems like Uzumaki-san cannot be saved anymore. I believe a certain _punishment_ is in order." With an oppressive aura emanating from her slim figure, Miya's eyes glowed a bright lavender, even as mask after mask appeared behind her, along with the countless ladles that seemed to be generated from thin air, she began advancing on the blond who was currently sweating bullets.

"Er, can't we just let bygones be bygones? You know I only love you Miya-san! I understand that you are jealous that I would bring two new girls back home but it's all to prove to you just how much I love you!" He was just bullshitting by this point, trying to unbalance her long enough for him to escape, but alas, it would seem that she had already built up some sort of immunity against his random antics and continued to press on.

It didn't take long before unmanly screams of 'Not the face!' reverberated through the entire Izumo Inn.

After fully releasing her stress, she finally decided that this was probably enough to keep him quiet for a while, Miya turned around to see the rest of the occupants huddling together as though they had just witnessed something horrific.

_That looked… really painful…_

_Dang, Anee-san actually whacked him in the… _

_Sis, I'm scared…_

_You and me both, Hibiki, you and me both._

"Ara? Is there a problem?" Her smile was positively beaming as she moved towards them, that familiar aura starting to gather once again. Needless to say, they all answered her question with violent shakes of their head.

"Good. Now, since that poor girl upstairs has already fallen asleep, you guys can go join her as well, I'm sure it has been a long day already. I would offer you a bath, but I don't think you need it right now." This time, her smile was genuine filled with concern as she nudged them gently, "Akitsu-chan, you too. You've only just recovered a few hours ago, it would do you well to keep it that way with a good night's sleep. Go on."

"Hai, thank you, Ooya-san. _(Jap term for Landlady)_"

"You're welcome. That goes for you ladies too, Hikari and Hibiki was it?"

"Ah, yes! We're so sorry to impose on you!"

"No, no, it's fine. Uzumaki-san has already paid his rent, so it's only natural for you to be living here. Uzume, look after them for me will you? I need to have a nice, _long_ chat with Uzumaki-san."

"Eh? Oh! Right, right, come on girls, you heard the boss! Let me show you to your room, Hikari-chan, Hibiki-chan!"

It didn't take long for the living room to be quiet once again, with Miya sitting herself comfortably at the coffee table, patiently waiting for Naruto to respond.

The Lightning twins had sent him a worried look before they left, only to be reassured by both Akitsu and Uzume that nothing was going to happen to him.

The blond had actually smiled at that, because even now, he could feel their anxiety through the bond. Shaking his head, he began sending them images of their earlier activities and certain variations that they had yet to try, and that was enough to get them to stop worrying. Well, not really, but at least he diverted their attention.

"Must we do this now?" Naruto mumbled with his face still embedded into the tatami flooring.

"I know you're tired as well, Uzumaki-san, but I believe this is quite the urgent matter."

"Sigh…" Pulling himself back up to a sitting position, the blond rotated his neck around to loosen his stiff neck, before facing Miya properly for the first time since he's been back at Izumo Inn, "So? What do you want to talk about?"

The purplette gazed at him with a serious expression, those brown eyes of hers never leaving his face as though she was trying to decipher an unknown code. Naruto simply raised an eyebrow, before sighing, "Relax Miya-san, it's not like I'm her because of some ulterior motive. I'm actually on vacation at the moment but I'm guessing you won't believe that unless I show you proof eh?"

The landlady continued to stay silent, though her eyes did soften as she waited for the blond to provide her with a reasonable explanation.

"This is my Trinity card, the one I would have used to pay the rent had it not been lost the other day. I had my… friend recover it for me, which was kinda why I went out this evening." He had a feeling that if he told her he went out searching for a drink, she would be quite upset with him.

He guessed right.

Placing the card onto the middle of the table, a slight gasp was heard from her as she reached out to see if it really _was_ what she thought it was.

"Global Platinum Limited Edition, currently one of only fifty in this world." With a slight grin, Naruto placed his hand under his chin as he continued, "So, need I say more about my identity?"

It was common knowledge for people around the world that those who held this particular card were definite members of Trinity Inc. It didn't mean that the richest and wealthiest had it because this special edition was given to people who belonged to Trinity Inc. It didn't matter if you were just a starting employee or if you were a board member, but it all boiled down to how much contribution you made to Trinity Inc. With this card, one was able to withdraw an unlimited amount of money from any bank in any country, dine free of charge at any five-star restaurant around the world with but a swipe of the card at the end of the meal, rest at any five-star or higher hotel in nothing less than the penthouse suite for free and many other benefits.

A few years ago, Trinity Inc released an announcement that they were releasing such a card to their employees, and it took the world by storm. Never before had a company, much less a world-wide corporation like Trinity Inc, to repay the services of their employees in such a manner. Even though there were only fifty cards available, that alone was enough to cover at least a million other people's yearly expenses! The most shocking part was how an employee on a mere eighty thousand yearly income before tax was one of the fifty receivers of the card! They had expected it to be for the board members, managers of the departments and allies of Trinity Inc, but to their utmost surprise, it was _only_ for Trinity employees. It could not be applied, bought or even stolen, because of the codes present on the card.

If the person who had tried to use that card was _not_ the one it was given to, the card was able to determine that through a direct DNA analysis and would shut down and send a security signal back to Trinity Inc Headquarters. Hence, for Naruto to have a card like that in front of Miya, was enough to show her how valuable he was to the world's most famous company.

"That means your occupation…"

"I'm a special consultant." _Well, a really special consultant. I get consulted by the board members about how the company runs, so I'm not really lying… I guess._

Miya stared at him for a bit longer, before relenting and placed the card back on the table, "You say you're here just on vacation?"

Hearing how she had decided to trust him for now, Naruto was instantly all smiles, "But of course! I had always heard that Tokyo, I mean, _Shinto Teito_ was filled with hot ladies, and since it's been a long while that I've met with any ladies at all, I figured I could take some time off and have a quality vacation." _A damn long while at that._

"And MBI being in the area had nothing to do with it?"

"Well, I'm not here on the company's orders if that's what you're worried about." _No shit, I order the company, not the other way round. _

"Oh?" Her hand rose to her left, neatly tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear even as she gave him a small smile, "Do tell."

"Did anyone ever tell you that you had a beautiful smile?"

"Ara, I don't think so, why?"

"Because I have to say it's absolutely exquisite in a deadly way."

"Oh ho ho ho, maa, maa, Uzumaki-san is such a tease, but you still have to answer the question."

"Well, I'm personally interested in what the MBI was doing, so I figured that I might as well get something done during my vacation. I had heard that they were carrying out a new plan or something, I just never realized it was the Sekirei Plan."

"So you know of the Sekirei plan?" Her eyebrows were knotted together, as though this piece of information surprised her.

"Of course, there is very little in this world that Trinity Inc doesn't know about, Miya-san."

That comment instantly put her on guard as a deathly aura covered the entire room in an instant, "Really now?"

Shrugging off the killing intent easily, Naruto continued, "I hadn't wanted to take part in something so stupid, but it was by pure luck that I was able to meet Akitsu. And well, I just didn't have it in me to reject her after hearing her thoughts. She deserved better than some stupid brat who didn't even know about how to treat ladies with the proper respect they deserved."

Running his hand through his spiky locks, the blond took a sip of the tea in front of him and continued, "Don't freak out too much, I don't have anything on you, or any other Sekirei to be honest. Trinity Inc has no intention of ever controlling Japan, so you don't have to be so careful with me. We've decided to leave it to MBI since it's doing an admirable job so far, there really is no point in building a branch here when there's already another company who can do the same thing already."

Those brown orbs of hers did not lose the dangerous glint even as her face remained expressionless, "That has nothing to do with my Izumo Inn. I could care less if MBI was taken over by Trinity."

"Ouch, harsh much?" Realizing that his attempt at humour was ignored, Naruto could only scratch his head once again, "Miya, I am what you see. Everything that I've done so far was because I felt like doing them. They're not just a random ploy to have you lower your suspicions against me or something like that. I didn't choose this Inn because of some ulterior motive. I swear on my honour that I would never do anything to harm the residents and interests of Izumo Inn. Please, believe me." His voice was filled with solemnity that had Miya quite uncomfortable on the inside, not that she showed any of it.

Analyzing the information she got, and the way the blond had reacted throughout their conversation, it was safe to say that he was telling the truth. But even so, she couldn't help but want to tease the blond a little bit more, if only to pay him back for all the teasing he did to her before.

"Ara, Uzumaki-san, I didn't think you had any honour though."

Cue facefault.

"That's a low blow and you know it." In a second, he had scrambled up from the floor and got right into the face of the landlady.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Completely comfortable despite the close presence of this man, the purplette idly replied as she pretended to admire her ladle.

"Admit it, you're just jealous that I winged them before I did you!"

"Ara ara, I had no idea that you were so interested in widows, Uzumaki-san. NTR is not a very healthy fetish, you know. _(NTR, or netorare in full, is a Japanese phrase for those perverts who participate in adultery with married women)_"

Cue double facefault.

"Wait, no!" Again, he sprung back, this time leaning even closer to her, "Your husband didn't even touch you that way!"

"But I am still married." Talk about sticking a knife where it hurt.

"I don't believe you, show me proof!"

"Denial is a bad thing, Uzumaki-san." Her eyes were filled with compassion at this point, as though staring at an existence that's below that of a flea.

"I swear, you can be so S at times."

"Ara? Is Uzumaki-san M? So that's why you wanted me to make those masks for your perverted leisure? Oh me, oh my… that's quite unexpected."

"I am _not_ M! Far out! I'd rather kill myself first!" At this point, Naruto realized he needed to make a statement. This was something that could ruin his reputation!

"Is that so?" Her tone held a bit of mirth as she inquired with that same old angelic smile.

"Yes!"

In an instant, the atmosphere changed as her eyes glowed with a dark aura, "How about I convert you then?"

Instead of being surprised, like most people would, Naruto simply did a backflip, and got into his standard Kabuki introductory pose, "Baaaaaka! Do you even know who I am? I'm the world's most handsome," a brush of his hair, "most famous," a clap of his hands, "most eligible," A shake of his head, "and most –"

"Perverted."

"That's right! Most pervert… Oi! What do you mean by that?"

"I'm merely speaking the truth."

"One day, Miya, one day I will get you! Believe it!"

Silence ensued, before the purplette broke out in chuckles, "Oh that's so cute!"

Knowing that he had accidentally used the catch phrase he started out with years ago, Naruto couldn't help but blush in embarrassment, "W-what! I think it's a very cool and sophisticated – "

"'Believe' it he said! Ufufufufufu!"

Hanging his head, Naruto sighed in resignation, "You're not going to let me live this down, are you?"

Shaking her head in mirth, the landlady simply pointed her ladle at him in a commanding manner, "Now every time you commit a lewd and lecherous act, I have something to blackmail you!"

"Hmph! As if! The great Uzumaki Naruto will never bow down to anyone! I will continue my sexual harassment if it's the last thing I do … wait, why are we assuming that I'm going to do that?!"

"So you do admit to it! My, what a beast!"

"Grrrr, curse you Miya!"

And the chaos continued, signifying that things were cool between them, at least for now.

_Sorry that I can't tell you everything yet, but it might just freak you out a bit too much at this point. You've changed so much that I'm not exactly sure how to go about explaining it to you. If you had been the killing machine you were back then, I wouldn't be having all these troubles, but to see you now, so full of compassion and care for people in need… _

_Ah whatever, I'll figure something out. I always do._

**X – X **

"Is that all?" A quiet Higa Izumi sat behind his desk, his hands under his chin even as he went over the information that his secretary just brought back. It would seem that he had just been threatened by someone whom he had no background data on whatsoever.

"Higa-sama, while I know it is not my place to say so, but it might be best if we were to avoid the North for the time being. That man… he's not normal." Kakizaki had woken up the moment they reached back in the East in their business building and had instantly rushed off to relay the recent events to his boss. Ichiya and Toyotama had gone with him, and confirmed Kakizaki's words, and even added extra input of their own for the parts where the secretary was unconscious.

"Hm, interesting." Rising, he walked over to the window, staring up at the moon even as he held his hands behind his back, as though mulling over some interesting fact.

"Higa-sama?"

"And he said he was going to send Kirito's head back to me?"

"Y-yes." Even now, he still couldn't shake off the fear he had felt when he looked into that… that _monster_'s eyes. What on earth was that?

"So someone from Trinity Inc is issuing us a warning to not step out of line?" His smirk deepened even as he gave a short bark of laughter, "If that's the case, then we should be more careful, shouldn't we?"

"You mean?"

"Make someone else do our bidding." Waving his hand, he sent Ichiya and Toyotama away, leaving only Kakizaki alone with him in his room.

"A-ano…"

"If the King can't move, then it is up to the pawns to take care of everything. Sacrifices have to be made after all." Turning around, he was about to continue when all of a sudden, the window he had just been looking through exploded, taking them completely by surprise, trigging the security alarms.

"Higa-sama! Careful!"

Higa on the other hand, simply frowned even as he held out his hand, ordering the panicking Kakizaki to stay put, "It's nothing. I believe our friend has just acted on his word."

Even as the security guards and his Sekirei all rushed to his side upon hearing the crash, their eyes bulged outwards even as they saw the head of No. 93 Kirito splat on the wall, face outwards. Beside it wrote the words, 'Remember, Strike One' with blood dripping down the wall. It was a ghastly sight, to say the least.

"Scary, scary." Taking off his suit which now had droplets of blood on it, he handed it to one of his guards even as he loosened his tie somewhat, his eyes staring at the message for a few moments, before he smirked in a devious manner, "But that doesn't mean I'll back down. I always enjoy a good challenge in a game of chess. It does give me all the more satisfaction when I take the queen, after all."

**X – X **

"Takami-san!" A professor in a white lab coat rushed over to her, wanting to give her the latest update to a certain peculiar situation.

"Did you find them?" The hawk-eyed women asked in an anxious voice.

"No, we can't find them anywhere! This was just like when that scrapped number – "

Waving him off even as she made her way to the Central Information Centre (CIC) herself, the head researcher of the Sekirei project slowly ran through the possible scenarios.

_One – they were killed, then bodies removed. _

_Two – they had somehow removed their life trackers._

_Three – Someone was able to hack into their system and alter their data._

None of the three seemed to fit in, and the silver-haired woman couldn't help but groan. There really was no point in killing them _then_ removing their bodies, because the bodies would be without any energy whatsoever. So unless some sicko did it, that chance was very slim. As for the Sekirei removing the trackers themselves, that again, should be impossible. It was attached right next to the Sekirei core, using nanobots to monitor their situation constantly. This was one of the reasons why MBI was able to send out a recovery squad the moment a Sekirei was terminated, because the nanobots would send out signals back to the CIC who would process that information and give the order for retrieval.

For them to remove their life trackers would mean that they had to destroy their Sekirei core, which would cut off the energy supply to the nanobots. Even so, there should be _bodies_ lying around if that happened!

And three, well, apart from a certain Sekirei that had recently escaped from the headquarters, she couldn't think of anyone that had the ability to hack into their server. The 'over-technology' they discovered in the Sekirei spaceship more than guaranteed them absolute safety in terms of data preserving and storage. Even then, she doubted the current missing Sekirei would associate themselves with _that_ one, seeing how she was on the Discipline Squad's capture list.

According to their last reports, she was currently hiding in Izumo Inn, where No. 1 Miya was currently residing and they all knew better to try and capture someone under _her_ eyes. It was like committing suicide plain and simple. Even No. 4 would be unable to do anything unless they wanted half of Shinto Teito destroyed.

So far, No. 7, 11 and 12 had gone missing on their radar, all conveniently while they were in the Northern sector of the city. That couldn't be a coincidence, could it? It might pay for the Discipline Squad to go check things up around Izumo Inn. As long as they don't push Miya too much, it should be alright. Besides, No. 88 was detected at the same place as No. 11 and 12 for quite a while before she left, and since she was now also at Izumo Inn, it was all the more reason for Karasuba to go check them up.

"Get me the line for Natsuo, I've got a job for them."

"H-hai!"

**X – X **

The first thing Naruto saw next morning was boobs. Quite a few pairs in actual fact.

No seriously, it was him dreaming or something like that. He even reached out and gave them all a good, hard squeeze to assure himself that he wasn't hallucinating, and from the different types of moans that came from his 'testing', it could be safely said that he was awake.

What a _wonderful_ way to wake up to the start of the day!

He could seriously get used to this, what with three bodies draped all over him. He was pretty sure they _weren't_ naked though, so something must have happened halfway through the night that had them all strip themselves before they slept with him. That brought another good question, he was sure they were all sleeping in separate futons by the time he went to bed, so why were they all together now?

Question marks floated around his head even as he tried to regain his bearings. It wasn't like they had sex or anything, because if they did, he would definitely remember. After all, who would be able to forget having a foursome with _these_ beauties? Gah, stupid rhetorical questions.

Scratching his head in puzzlement, he was about to wake them up when suddenly, he was treated to the view of all three ladies waking up in succession, pushing their bodies off the futon even as they sleepily rubbed their eyes and yawned. Needless to say, that image made his throat _very_ dry.

_Let's see, Aki-chan will be about 89… Squeeze, squeeze…_

_Grope, hm… wow, Hikari-chan boin! 94, that's like almost as big as Hana-chan…_

_Poke, poke… Hibiki-chan is about 79… and they're just so cute that I wanna – _

"The heck are you doing first thing in the morning!" Before his thoughts could proceed any further, a streak of lightning was sent flying directly at him with the intent to fry the perverseness out of him.

If it had been anyone else, they would've been lying on the floor electrocuted and toasted.

Naruto simply whacked the lightning aside and grabbed hold of the hand that had sent the attack towards him, dragged the culprit over to him and gave her 'Naruto's Morning Wake-up Kiss', which was really just a kiss with tongue and chakra. It was a routine he had way back, developed by his lovely wife Sakura, who had just about enough of him sleeping in all the time. Yes, as hard as it was to believe, the Rokudaime Hokage was actually very bad at getting up on time. So Sakura had come up with the idea of direct injection of chakra to cause the body to 'jolt' a bit, for the better lack of description, effectively disrupting the person's sleeping pattern, thereby causing them to wake up.

Right now, Naruto didn't do it as 'hard' as Sakura used to but simply sent a tiny sliver of his energy into their bodies to kick start their cores. He had realized that when the Sekirei were sleeping, their cores would be in a dormant state as well, somewhat unlike the shinobi, because chakra cores were forever 'on'. There were advantages and disadvantages to this, with the advantage being that Sekirei were able to save energy whenever they slept, making the re-charge procedure faster, whereas disadvantage meant that if they were ever to be assaulted in their sleep, it would take them quite a while before they were able to fight at full power.

To think there was so much theory behind his reason for kissing them first thing in the morning.

_Well, I kinda wanted to kiss them anyway, so yeah._

Smiling at how dazed the three of them seem to be, Naruto pulled Hikari back into his arms once again, before murmuring, "Each time you throw a bolt of lightning at me, it's a kiss from me. If it goes past a certain number, I won't hesitate to ravish you in public sight. Deal?"

The way he whispered directly into her ear had her shivering all over, even as she tried to whack him for making such a perverted comment, "Let me go!"

Shrugging, Naruto then turned to Akitsu, gently caressing her cheek, using her skin as a medium, he closed his eyes for a second, turning on Sage Mode and checking for himself the state of energy balance within her body just to confirm that there were no unexpected accidents.

"I'm fine, Naruto-sama. You need not worry." The Ice Sekirei felt the ripple of energy through her core, and answered with a blush on her face.

"Yes, but it always pays to be safer than sorry. Now it's your turn Aki-chan." Ignoring her feeble protests, Naruto drew her in for a long hard kiss as well.

A tiny whimper was heard even as Hibiki fidgeted on her spot, before she too was smooched.

_I could definitely get used to this._

All in all, it was a beautiful morning. At least it was until a certain Hannya turned up with her ominous aura.

"Uzumaki-san…"

"Er… morning?"

"Seiza."

"Hai."

**X – X **

"How're you feeling today Musubi-mmmphmh!"

"Naruto-san! Musubi knew Naruto-san would come to save her!" Utterly ecstatic at seeing the blond once more, the brunette happily lunged at him, wrapped both arms around his neck and hugged his head straight into her bosom, effectively muffling whatever it was that Naruto was going to say.

Surprisingly, none of Naruto's Sekirei said anything. They were already too shocked by the 'mask session' that the landlady had with their Ashikabi to care about their Ashikabi suffocating in another Sekirei's breasts.

_How can he act like nothing's happened?_

_Our Ashikabi must have nerves of steel or something._

Akitsu simply remained silent even as she watched the Fist Sekirei continue to smother her Ashikabi, a faint smile on her face. It was as though she could understand the elation that Musubi was currently feeling. There was that one time where she had felt the world around her cave in, before she met her Naruto-sama after all. Hikari and Hibiki had a similar moment, but that memory was temporarily forgotten due to recent memories that were more… erhem…

"Musubi-chan." A certain landlady appeared behind her with a level one Hannya mask behind her, "As much as I like to see Uzumaki-san die, it is breakfast time."

"Ah! Breakfast! Yay!" With that, Naruto was released from the 'death grips' of Musubi.

"What was that about you wanting me to die?"

"Ara? I never said anything like that. Ufufufufu. Uzumaki-san must have heard wrong. By the way, you don't get to eat breakfast."

"Eh? How come?"

"That is the punishment for indulging yourself in lewd acts at Izumo Inn."

"I thought it was just the mask show."

"S-show… he called it a show…" Fists were clenched ever so subtly even as Naruto blinked at her sudden change in posture once more.

"Er… are you alright?"

"Uzumaki-san."

"Yes…?"

"Seiza."

"What?! Why?!"

"_Now_."

"Urgh, do I at least get to have breakfast afterwards?"

Ah, there was the angelic smile he knew would come! Miya wouldn't be so mean to him after all!

"You're exempt from all meals today."

"EHHHH?!"

**X – X **

"Right! Now that you guys had your food, let's start off by doing something productive!" Raising his fist, Naruto began punching an imaginary enemy, "You guys will be training today!"

The expression that greeted his statement was quite amusing. Hikari and Hibiki were staring at him like he had grown a second head, Miya was doing her 'ufufufu' routine whereas Uzume was sneaking him curious glances every now and then. Musubi of course, was really happy and began her shouts of 'That's so awesome, Naruto-san!" Akitsu simply nodded before moving to stand beside him.

"Oi, what's with you two? You guys are the weakest here physically, shouldn't you be taking more initiative towards strengthening those hot bodies of yours?"

"Are you actually saying _you're_ gonna train us? As in you, a human?" Hikari pointed at him with a shaky finger even as she tried to understand the situation. You really couldn't blame her. Who ever heard of a human training a Sekirei in terms of physical combat?

Hibiki quietly mumbled 'Sis' before dragging her over to stand beside their Ashikabi. It didn't matter if her Ashikabi was lying, she would still believe in him that he could –

"Ouch! What was that for?" The younger twin protested even as Naruto deadpanned, "You're even worse than your sister, humouring me for the sake of humouring me. Do I look that weak to you guys?"

"Well, no… but still…" Hikari still had a doubtful look on her face before she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Turning around, she saw that it was Musubi-chan looking at her with a pout, "Mo! Hikari-san! It's training! You have to put some effort into it! Come on!"

"Urgh, how you can be so energetic this early in the morning is beyond me…"

"See! Akitsu-san is all ready to go! We must not be left behind!"

"Alright, alright I'm coming, stop dragging me!"

With a twitching eyebrow, Naruto eyed Hibiki closely, "Tell me the truth."

Saving poor Hibiki the trouble of 'embarrassing' her Ashikabi with a negative answer, Uzume was the one who piped up, "Well it's only natural that they think you're weaker. There has yet to be a human who's stronger than us Sekirei. I mean we _are_ aliens who had to have limiters placed on them so that we don't break you guys by accident."

By this point, Naruto's sweatdrop was getting quite big, "B-break us? Really? That bad?" He looked over to Miya for confirmation and a nod was all he received.

Focusing his attention back onto his Sekirei, the blond gave them a bemused look, "Did the fact that _I_ saved your asses mean nothing to you guys?"

Hikari was the one to speak up this time, "Yes… but it's still hard to believe that you are stronger than us."

Naruto groaned as he executed a flawless facepalm, "Can't you guys feel it through our bond? I'm pretty damn sure Aki-chan can."

The Lightning twins blinked for a bit, before tilting their head, "Feel what?"

"A swirl of energy? Starting from your core? Around your stomach region? Anything?" His gesturing grew more desperate as the confused look on the twins' faces remained even after his hinting.

"Alright, looks like we have to start from the basics. I hate to say it but you guys currently _suck_." Ignoring their indignant protests of 'how rude', Naruto simply proceeded to lecture them on how they were supposed to be using the energy within them. For the twins, it was just reach in, grab whatever there was, blast it out. That was how they fired lightning bolts.

After giving them a fine lesson on how to actually control their output so that they do not waste their actual energy, the actual training began, for them at least. Akitsu and Musubi had no need to train that way, because they didn't have their sekirei core broken down and rebuilt. The Ice Sekirei was told by Naruto to meditate so that she would be able to maintain her focus for longer periods of time. It was a bit pointless to start her physical training at the moment because her skills were able to keep the opponents at bay, and from what he had seen, she wasn't too shabby in terms of speed and agility.

Musubi was the painful one, because she wasn't winged. The naïve girl seemed to be in complete bliss just being _around_ Naruto that she had forgotten the fact that she had yet to be winged. So Naruto told her to maintain her current posture, and punch hard into empty space trying as hard as she could to not move any other parts of her body. That plus change hands every hour or so.

With that done, Naruto stepped back and admired his handiwork. All his Sekirei were now working hard in their respective fields. It felt so much like him back in his Genin days where they would each work on their weaknesses or improving their strengths after a lecture from Kakashi-sensei.

Now if Miya wouldn't stare at him like a hawk eyeing its prey, he might have been able to showcase a bit more of his skills to the Lightning twins because for some reason, they still seemed quite skeptical that he could fight. They knew he was strong in bed, but apparently that didn't equate to him being strong in battle, which was a fair assumption in some ways.

Mumbling about how he was getting no respect, he was interrupted by Uzume, who had been sitting there all along, "Ne, ne, how do you know all this stuff, bro?"

"I er… read them in books of course!"

"What kind of books?"

"It's… complicated."

"Miya told us that you were a special consultant at Trinity Inc, so I was just wondering if that was where you got your knowledge from." Uzume spoke in a cheerful manner, though one could tell she was tentatively probing for more information on this mysterious blond.

"Erm…" It was getting really uncomfortable with Miya staring at him. Towards the end of their conversation last night, there was an unspoken agreement that Miya would not ask Naruto any private questions and that she would patiently wait for Naruto to tell her about himself. Guess that didn't mean she couldn't conveniently eavesdrop on the stuff he said in public eh?

"Ara, I didn't know there were books on Sekirei energy! I should maybe go to Trinity Library and have a look sometime." The way she looked at him through half-lidded eyes had him laughing in an awkward manner, "Well… you see, it's erm… in a top secret… vault thingy…"

"Bro, you suck at lying." Uzume pointed the rather obvious fact out to save the blond further embarrassment.

"Hey! I'll have you know I'm the best conman and liar that you'll ever find in this world! I'm a shino… shino…" Barely stopping himself in time, Naruto quickly covered his mouth with his hands, glaring at an innocently whistling Uzume in the process, "You're a tricky little thing, aren't you?"

"Shino? What's that?"

"Nothing! That doesn't mean anything! Forget what I just said!" Waving his arms around in a frantic manner, Naruto did his best to convince Miya that his slip-up was just that, a slip-up. It was quite obvious the landlady didn't believe a word he said though and his efforts ended up in failure.

Uzume poked at the figure who was now crying silently over his stupidity on the ground, "Say, I heard from the twins that you did something incredible to bring them back from the brink of termination. Care to explain more on that?"

The blond instantly bounced off the ground, glaring at a somewhat shaken Uzume who was staring at him with wide eyes, wondering what had caused him to regain his energy.

"I thought the Sekirei plan was supposed to be a _secret_? Why would they tell you they were Sekirei after only just meeting you?"

"Well, considering how pretty much everyone bar you… and the landlady are Sekirei," She had to add in that tiny fact because she could already feel the death glare behind her back from said landlady, "So there was really no need to hide it. Besides, it's not like I'll just attack them for no reason."

Glancing at the shirt she was wearing, Naruto could only shake his head, before replying in a dry tone, "Well it's not like you were trying to hide your identity anyway. Your figure plus that number on your shirt would give anything away."

Uzume blinked before tilting her head, as though wondering what Naruto was on about. He had to resist smacking his face once again as he stared at the well-endowed young woman in front him. She was currently wearing a pink belly top with a golden star on the front and a golden number '10' on the back, much like the one she was wearing when he first met her yesterday. Her shapely legs were covered by a pair of capri jeans, further showing off that luscious body of hers. Like pretty much all the Sekirei he had met so far, her breasts were the most noticeable part of her anatomy.

"I have yet to meet a normal human girl of your age that has breasts at that size." Another dry remark.

"Iya! Bro, you're such a perv!" Placing her arms across her breasts to 'hide' them from view, Uzume replied in a joking manner, poking fun at the blond who was currently sweatdropping.

"Hey you were the one who said I could see however much I wanted as long as I didn't touch, weren't you?"

"Yeah, but I didn't think you would actually _do_ that. Go stare at your own Sekirei's boobs. Shoo, shoo."

"…" It was probably good that he was getting speechless because he could sense Miya's 'aura' once more, and it just wouldn't do for him to be lectured on the rules of Izumo Inn anymore. He could pretty much recite them from memory at this stage.

Just as he was about to go check up on the 'training' process, since the Lightning twins seemed to be dozing off at this point, the ponytail girl spoke up in a much gentler voice, "Is it true that you were able to heal them?"

Blinking, he turned back around to Uzume, who seemed much more subdued, "Yes…?" His eyes squinted at her in a curious fashion, as though wondering why she would ask a question like this. Normally people wouldn't really be that interested in his 'healing' powers, they were more interested in how much crap he could destroy in one go.

"Does… does it work on humans?" Was it just him or did Uzume actually look shy when she asked that question.

"Well, yeah. It was made for humans after all." Trying to shift away slowly from the menacing sensation the landlady was currently projecting in an attempt to force him to spill more secrets, Naruto then tilted his head, "Why? Is your Ashikabi sick or something?"

"Eh? How did you know I have an Ashikabi?" Uzume gaped in surprise.

"Well, your life force says so. Though I have to admit," The blond placed a hand under his chin, before smirking, "I didn't know you swung that way."

Silence continued for a bit before Uzume broke out with the deepest blush he had ever seen on her. Granted he only saw her twice till now, but still, you get the point.

"T-that's n-not… I-I… S-she…" It was quite obvious she was at a loss of words to explain just why her Ashikabi was of the same sex as her.

"Well, don't worry about it. Although it is better to be winged by someone of the opposite sex, I suppose you have your reasons for settling for her. She must be a very special person to you." Naruto smiled, before patting her on the shoulder, "So? Is she?"

"Eh?" With her pupils currently in circles, Uzume could barely follow the conversation any longer.

"Your Ashikabi, is she sick?" The blond tapped his feet in impatience, wanting to seriously go whack the Lightning twins who were now prodding and poking at a meditating Akitsu.

"Oh! Right. Yes, she is. She's currently suffering from an aggressive, incurable virus…"

"Pft, incurable my ass. Why don't you guys go to MBI hospital? Surely they can do _something_ about it?" Naruto asked with a raised eyebrow.

"She…" Uzume bit her lip, pondering as to whether or not she should tell the blond more about her Ashikabi, before sighing and deciding in the negative. There was just too much at risk. If anything were to happen to Chiho…

Deadpanning, Naruto shrugged, "Well, I understand we're not that close yet for you to divulge that much info to me, but always remember this Uzume," He gave her a thumbs up plus his trademark foxy grin, "When in need, count on _me_."

Maintaining that posture for a few more moments, a twitch mark began to develop above his eyebrow as he retracted his fist and began cracking his knuckles in an intimidating manner, "Is there a _problem,_ girls?"

"N-no… mpft…"

"N-nothing whats-soever… Snrk…"

It was quite obvious that everyone in the courtyard was struggling to hold in their laughter.

They were making an effort to cover it up, but it was all ruined when Uzume started howling, "That's soooo _corny_!"

And that was the last straw, before everyone, _including_ Miya, began holding their stomachs as they guffawed at Naruto's 'signature move'.

"'Count on me' he says! Oh, oh, I can't take it anymore!"

The laughter grew when an innocent Musubi protested on Naruto's behalf, "Why are you guys laughing? Naruto-san was just being very youthful back there! He looked really cool!"

"Y-youthful! Oh the lord, that's the word! Youthful!"

"My stomach, it hurts, hahahaha – "

Clenching his fists, Naruto began making wringing motions as though imagining what it would feel like to strangle all of them, "Aki-chan, what about you?"

The Ice Sekirei remained silent for a moment, before a muffled giggle was heard from her lips.

That alone was enough to tell Naruto what she thought of his latest 'posture' and amidst the hilarity the residents of Izumo Inn were currently experiencing, the blond rushed out of the door with tears flying from his eyes.

**X – X **

"Ne, ne, Natsuo! How about we go out on a date after this boring mission?" A certain pink-headed Sekirei asked eagerly as the Discipline squad made their way towards the infamous Izumo Inn.

"Haha, let's talk about it after we finish this mission, alright? Although I have to say, my schedule is pretty busy today." The official Ashikabi of the Discipline squad replied in an amiable manner.

"Pupupu, there's really no point asking him out over and over, Beni. He swings the other – "

"I _don't_ care!" Needless to say, the pinkhead wasn't all that happy. Wearing a Kimono-like shirt with one sleeve missing, No. 105 Benitsubasa groaned in annoyance, "Why the heck did that woman send us here all of a sudden?! Who cares if a few Sekirei had gone missing off the radar?"

"Pupupu, there's no need to be so angry. You get rejected at least once every day anyway." No. 106 Haihane had disheveled gray hair and narrow eyes, giving her a surprisingly gothic appearance what with her dress code involving a tattered kimono over her bandaged body; though judging from her sarcastic comments, she seemed to be a pretty upbeat person.

"Shut _up_!"

Natsuo, dressed in an elaborate suit over a white undershirt complete with a black tie, decided to turn around and ask the last and most powerful member of the Discipline Squad, "Excited?"

With her long, light gray hair tied up in a pony-tail, No. 4 Karasuba simply smiled, "Somewhat." Dressed in a tight black leather top, miniskirt and stockings plus a grey haori draped over her shoulders, she looked quite the delectable female, though the nodaichi she had by her waist might say otherwise.

Chuckling, Natsuo didn't say anymore and continued walking at a leisure pace, not too fussed about the urgency of the mission. This morning he had received a call from Sahashi Takami, wanting them to go check up on Izumo Inn, stating that the recent disappearances of No. 7, 11 and 12 might be associated with the people residing there. Naturally, this was only going to be a information-gathering mission, the Discipline Squad was _not_ to engage in combat with Asama Miya.

Especially Karasuba.

"Mo! Couldn't we have just taken a car? Why must we walk all the way to that place?" Benitsubasa couldn't help but grumble since this was not really her idea of starting the day.

"Well, I figured we could all use some fresh air, but if you'd prefer – " Natsuo spoke up, but was cut off by the over-enthusiastic pinkhead.

"No, no, no, no, no, it's fine! If that's what Mitsuo wants, it's fine!" Her eyes were practically glimmering at the prospect of pleasing her Ashikabi.

Naturally, Haihane rolled her eyes at the ridiculous 'loyalty' her partner was currently showing. Someone _really_ needs to get laid.

"Ara, ara, Pettan-chan really needs to get laid."

Nodding at the comment that was similar to her thoughts, Haihane was just about to give whoever that said that a hi-five, only to realize that it couldn't be anyone from the Discipline Squad.

_No one_ got away with calling Benitsubasa a flat-chest. It was taboo. Seriously.

"Who said that?! Get your ass out here now so I can punch you in the nuts and rip your dick off!" It was quite obvious that said pettan-chan wasn't all that happy at being called that.

Natsuo seemed genuinely surprised by the fact that a blond male around his age now stood in front of them, waving merrily even as he ignored the raging outbursts of the pink head, "You are…?"

"The name is Uzumaki Naruto, the world's greatest, finest, and sexiest beast you'll ever meet!" The gleaming of his teeth was a bit too much for the brunet to bear, and so he had to shield his eyes even as he chuckled, "Nice to meet you, Uzumaki-san."

"Now, your turn."

"Hm?"

"Well, aren't you gonna introduce yourself? I mean, I told you my name already."

"Oh, yes, of course. I apologize. My name is Ichinomi Natsuo, leader of MBI's Discipline Squad. These Sekirei behind me are Benitsubasa, Haihane and Karasuba. We're pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Eh, I'm not so sure that's true for pettan-chan."

"YOU MOTHERFUC – "

"Benitsubasa… can get a bit energetic at times."

Haihane simply stared between the two humans, wondering what on earth was going on. These two were strangers to each other right? So why were they just introducing themselves like everything's fine? Who was the other dude? He had just appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the road!

"Yeah, you're right. Maybe that's why she's so flat, must have lost weight in the wrong area while she was on her diet."

"I'M GONNA CRUSH YOUR BALLS AND – "

"So? What exactly can we do for you Naruto-san?" Natsuo's smile was absolutely impeccable, as though he was truly interested in the reason as to why this blond was blocking their way.

"Well…" Tapping his forefinger on his chin, Naruto paced for a few rounds, before grinning back, "Could you guys not disturb us at the Izumo Inn? I've only just settled down and would _really _appreciate it if you guys could just turn around and walk back to MBI the way you came."

"WHO THE HECK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!"

"Shut up Pettan-chan, don't interrupt us adults when we're talking." Dismissing her with a simple wave of his hand, Naruto ignored her 'Imma kill you' shouts and focused back onto the teenager in front of him, "I know it's a lot to ask, but I'm sure you guys were ordered to avoid confrontation as well. I can give you the information you want, if that helps."

"Oh? Yes, that would indeed. Could you tell me?"

"Akitsu, Hikari and Hibiki are now _my_ Sekirei, off-limits to you guys. Go back and tell Sahashi Takami that they're in good care and that Minaka is gonna have to stick his paws elsewhere." His smile really didn't reach his eyes as he continued on, "Also, I do not want to see the Discipline Squad in the Northern Sector from now on. My landlady doesn't really like you guys, so it would really help me out if you guys could be nice little puppies and go back to your kennels."

"Oh that's _it_!" It would appear that Benitsubasa had a limit as to how much abuse she could take before she went berserk. Without even bothering to see what Natsuo had to say, the Crimson Sekirei blew past her squad and charged right at the ignorant asshole that was still standing there smiling as though he was being kind to them.

In one swift move, she gathered up energy into her forearm and lashed out at the son of a bitch that had called her a flat-chest. Her lips were pulled back into a sneer even as she imagined the sight of the human's head exploding into a cloud of blood and gore.

Unfortunately, that did not happen as Naruto simply plucked her hand out of mid-air, snapped her arm like it was a twig, eliciting a painful scream from the Sekirei and plunged her into the ground, before summoning up a spinning white orb into his left palm, ready to slam it right into _her head_.

He was stopped in time by Karasuba, who had withdrawn her nodaichi faster than the naked eye could follow and pierced it right at his heart. The speed and power compared to what Benitsubasa had shown was on a completely different level and the blond had to retract his arm and leap backwards to evade the attack.

His frown was evident even as he weaved through the slices and slashes of the now excited Black Sekirei, his eyes slowly growing cold even as he growled in annoyance, "Damn, I didn't expect this kind of speed. I thought you'd just be slightly faster than Pettan-chan over there."

The gray-haired Sekirei simply smirked, her eyes filled with bloodlust as she continued to brandish her weapon relentlessly, forcing the blond to stop talking and focus on evading the strikes.

Haihane, in the meantime, had rushed over to the crippled Benitsubasa, helping her out of the crater that was formed, before slinging her other arm over her shoulder, "You okay?"

"How can I be okay?! You try getting your bones broken like that!" Angry at the fact that she was defeated so easily, it was understandable that she wasn't in a good mood. She had severely underestimated the human, thinking he was just another weakling and hence had simply charged at him with her entire body stance open, making it extremely easy for him to counterattack.

In some ways, this was just her punishment for being overconfident and allowing the man to get such a good grip on her. Normally she would have simply launched a shockwave at him, but there was just something about making his head blow up that felt like a good idea at that time.

On the other hand, Naruto was getting tired of being ensnared in Karasuba's strikes, and decided that enough was enough.

"Mini-Rasengan!" Instantly charging up five tiny balls of spiraling wind-elemental chakra on the fingers of his left hand, he flung them directly at Karasuba, successfully getting her to focus on slicing those in half than his body.

Taking one step back, Naruto had about a second before Karasuba would come at him once more, and hence without hesitation, he took in a deep breath and expelled a forceful torrent of air that was just enough to send the surprised Sekirei flying back towards the rest of the Discipline Squad.

"Wind Elemental: Great Breakthrough!"

"Ho?" Karasuba backflipped gracefully as the wind began to weaken and landed lightly on the ground, before forcing energy into the tips of her toes as she dashed off with increased speed at the blond who held up that same shining orb, but this time, it had the shape of a jagged circular jagged blade around it, screeching as it spun wildly in the air.

"Rasenshuriken!" Clashing directly with the Black Sekirei, Naruto gained the upper-hand in an instant, completely taking Karasuba by surprise with just how strong that move was. It was like her nodaichi was groaning under the pressure generated by the orb, plus her arms were feeling the tiny needles of energy that were attempting to penetrate her skin and reach her inner organs even as the orb continued to spin.

Gritting her teeth, she summoned up an extra boost of energy, before cancelling the stalemate, using the momentum generated from the residue of the clash and leapt backwards to gain some distance lest the blond took advantage of her opening.

"Had enough?" The grin on his face was evident even as he rotated his limbs around their joints to loosen them up a bit, "I don't really have to fight fair with you guys, you know."

Before they knew it, twenty copies of the blond phased into existence beside him, sporting the same sky-blue eyes, sun-kissed hair and rugged smile. As one, they rammed their fists into the ground before them, creating fissures in the ground that again forced the members of the Discipline Squad to retreat a bit.

"T-those are _real_ clones?! You've got to be kidding!" Benitsubasa was the first one to voice her astonishment. Just one of him was tough to handle already! How were they supposed to take on twenty?!

Karasuba eyed the blonds carefully for a while, before chuckling as she slid her nodaichi back into its scabbard, "I see. So you can make them by splitting your energy into similar portions. I wonder how formidable they are compared to the real you."

Raising an eyebrow at having his secret found out so quickly, the blond shrugged, "Why don't you come and find out?"

The Black Sekirei was already heading in the other direction, waving her hand behind her as she spoke, "I had my fun. This place isn't nearly enough for you and me to get serious, so I'll just end it here. Who knows, if I get bored, I might come over and have some fun. Besides, I don't think you should be worrying about us right now."

Blinking, Naruto could only offer a confused "Eh?"

"Natsuo, you can take Benitsubasa to the hospital with Haihane. I'm sleepy." Her voice grew softer as she slowly vanished in the distance leaving a bewildered Naruto staring at the remaining three members of the Discipline Squad, who were somehow perfectly okay with the fact that he had just owned their asses.

"Wait, you guys are just going to leave?"

"It would seem so. Thank you for that information, Uzumaki-san. I can't make any guarantees that we won't come back to the Northern Sector, but I'll try and give them your suggestion. Bye for now." His smiled remained gentle and kind, as though Naruto did not just try to kill them all.

Though he would be right, Naruto didn't really want to kill them. He just wanted to beat them into a state where they would go into coma for fifty years or so.

"You! Don't think I'll just forget about this! Next time we meet, you won't get off so easily!" The Crimson Sekirei was still bitter about how easily she lost and even as Haihane dragged her away from the scene, her yells of outrage could be heard for quite a while even as the trio left.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Naruto gave a nonchalant shrug, "And that's that. Didn't think they would just leave though. I wonder what could have caused them to just give up like that…"

"WOW!"

Feeling a shiver run down his spine even as he heard that familiar exuberant voice, Naruto slowly cranked his head towards the source, only to find all the residents of Izumo Inn standing a few feet away from him, staring at him with a range of different expressions.

"Naruto-san! You're so strong! To think you're able to fight with Karasuba-san! Kyaaaah! You _must_ train me!"

Gaping as the Fist Sekirei lunged at him to give him a biiiig glomp, the blond was at a loss for words even as he crashed onto the ground, with Musubi snuggling into him, raving about how awesome he was.

"My eyes aren't deceiving me right? He didn't just fight the Black Sekirei and got away unscathed... right?!" The older of the lightning twins muttered even as she rubbed her eyes, "Ne, Hibiki?"

"What was that attack he used? Rasen-something?" The younger of the twins was more focused on _how_ her Ashikabi had somehow overpowered _the_ Black Sekirei.

"Holy! These clones are actually real! Look, I can touch them!" Uzume was curiously experimenting on how corporeal these copies of the blond were and continued to poke at them, ignoring the protests of the clones.

Akitsu was beside her, helping her test her hypothesis by freezing a couple of the clones, just to see how they would react, only to have them pop into bursts of smoke, which elicited 'oohs' and 'aahs' from the other Sekirei.

However, Naruto was really in a position to care about all that. He finally understood just _why_ Karasuba had chosen to retreat.

"Uzumaki-san…"

"Y-yes, Miya?" _Shit._

"Why have you so conveniently left your… abilities out from our conversation last night?"

"It er… slipped my mind…" _Double shit._

"I see. It looks like Uzumaki-san does not trust me enough." Her eyes were positively demonic at this point, which was enough to get the blond slightly worried.

"Ano… Miya-san?"

"Since you're so proficient at evading blades, let's play a little game." She was already unsheathing the blade from the wooden scabbard, revealing a fine katana, "Let's see how you fare with me."

"Eh?"

In a speed that was even faster than what Karasuba had unleashed on him, Naruto found himself barely able to react to the blade that was getting ridiculously close to his head, "Now, now, Miya! Violence is not the way to solve problems!"

"Being nice didn't seem to work for you, Uzumaki-san. I've decided to take desperate measures to ensure the safety of Izumo Inn." She was focused on one task and one task only.

She _must_ cut the blond.

It might not be very healthy, but it would certainly be _very_ satisfying.

"Can we not do this? I'm really hungry since I had nothing to eat for breakfast." Somehow, the fact that he still had time to speak in the midst of dodging her strikes really seemed to piss her off.

"You can eat your own flesh after I slice it off you!" _Did she just snarl at me? Like snarl? Nice, angelic Miya? Snarl?_

"Ehhh? That's a bit harsh, don't you think?" He was beginning to sweat now. Miya didn't seem to be letting up and it really had been a while since he faced someone with such expertise at using blades. His reflexes only helped him so much before he was cornered by the wall with the gleaming katana pointed right between his eyes.

"Er, would it help if I said I'm sorry?"

"No." Her brown eyes were frosted over with indifference as she gave him a look of complete disdain, "Do you really trust me so little?"

"Well I did say I was a _special_ consultant," mumbled Naruto in a small, childish voice.

"U-zu-ma-ki-san."

"I'm really sorry, please forgive me." His eyes were watery even as he adopted the famous puppy-eye look.

That only served to earn him a whack on the head by the butt of the katana before Miya sheathed her blade, before she reached down and grabbed hold of Naruto by the ear, "I believe we need a much more _in-depth_ conversation for us to know each other _better_. Come along."

Just like that, the landlady of Izumo Inn began dragging the blond up the road amidst his shrieks of "Liar! As if you're going to tell me more about yourself!", "Let go of my ear!" and "Are you having fun doing this to me?!"

The other Sekirei present could only stare numbly as the two slowly disappeared from their sight of view.

"Er, shouldn't we save him? I mean he _is_ our Ashikabi."

"Nah, he can take it, he's a big boy."

"Naruto-sama…"

"Naruto-san! Wait for me!"

"I just can't believe Hom... er, Kagari missed all this! I can't wait to see his face when he comes back today, hehe."

And so that marked the end of an eventful morning.

"Unhand me this instance you evil woman! Wait! Don't draw the blade!"

"I said 'no', Miya! Put it away!"

"This is unhealthy! Why are you fingering that blade?!"

"Don't point it at me! Don't you know that's dangerous?!"

"Wah! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please forgive me, Miya! Miya-san! Miya-sama! AAAAAHHHH!"

Yes, it was a very eventful and forever memorable morning for Naruto.

* * *

_**Just realized after I finished writing that I didn't really put much Kazehana in. Oh well, there's always next chapter. This chapter was mainly to sorta go over minor events that took place after he winged the Sekirei. **_

_**I actually need some help from you guys. Can anyone actually provide me with a set of data saying what breast cup sizes are the Sekirei? I know their three sizes, but it doesn't really tell me what cup size they are. It's just a minor thing I know, but I got myself curious when I was looking up their measurements. A fair estimate would do. **_

_**That being said, review and give me your thoughts as usual. Feel free to ask any questions you might have, I'll try and give you guys a reply as soon as possible, but no promises, since I'll be busy at work. Anyway, this is weixuan18, signing out.**_


	6. Chapter 5: Fresh Encounters

_**A/N: Quite a lot to cover here, so let's just cut to the chase.**_

_**1) Why did Naruto reveal all his techniques right there even though you made him avoid all of Miya's questions before? Why did he use Rasenshuriken so soon? **_

_**A lot of you forgot something quite important. Karasuba is strong, really strong. She's one of the few Single Digits I feel is above Kage Level. In a fight between Naruto, who wasn't using Sage Mode, was without Kurama, you're telling me that you expect him to survive only sticking to taijutsu? That's pushing it people. There's a reason Karasuba can destroy armies. That pretty much answers why he needed to use Rasenshuriken. **_

_**2) Why were the members of the Discipline Squad not surprised that Naruto was inhumanely strong?**_

_**This one's easy. Benitsubasa was surprised, but more angry than anything because she's just ditzy like that. Karasuba couldn't care less as long as she got to fight. Haihane… really? You expect her to think about stuff like that? As for Natsuo… well he hasn't really shown much emotion in manga or anime, so I'm just writing him off as a guy who seriously can't be bothered with anything. He just wants to see the world burn anyway.**_

_**3) You're making Naruto such a pussy when it comes to Miya, dude! Man him up!**_

_**You have to understand that Naruto married Sakura back in those Konoha days. Sakura, people. He's used to this type of banter. It's not like he's scared of Miya, it's more that he likes teasing her and then 'suffering her wrath' because it makes her more human-like. In the manga, she's a bit too holier-than-thou, and she still is in this story, which is why Naruto is trying to drag her back to human mode. It may seem like he's a bit 'weak' at times against the landlady, but it's all just good fun. Don't worry about it, I would never let an MC in any of my stories be dominated by a woman for no reason. I hate MCs that are M… (You can assume that I'm S).**_

_**4) Why didn't Naruto realize the residents of Izumo Inn were there? He's kage level isn't he? Shouldn't he be able to sense them easily? **_

_**Refer back to question 1. Same thing. You're fighting someone pretty much at your level, busy trying to avoid being killed, it's kinda hard to focus on other stuff at that point. I thought having Naruto use Rasenshuriken would prove to you guys how tough Karasuba was but apparently, it was overlooked. Oh well. None of the other fics have really touched upon how strong Karasuba was so I guess you guys just aren't used to how I rate the Sekirei. **_

_**Since we're on this topic, I reckon any of the Single Digits are easily Kage Level. Matsu while not physically strong, has insane hacking abilities which would rank her pretty damn powerful. Even Uzume, Hikari and Hibiki, I reckon could pass for Kage levels. It's like having bloodlines with Sekirei. You put them back in Naruto world, you get Kunoichi who shoot off elemental attacks without warning at all, and are able to take the damage that only the buffest males should be able to. **_

_**5) Well, he still shouldn't have revealed his abilities! What about MBI?! **_

_**People, I think Naruto could care less about the MBI. He owns a corporation that's bigger, stronger and more influential than the MBI. He's currently living at Izumo Inn where Miya lives. What can they do to him? He's going to have to reveal his powers soon anyway, why not just get it out of the way? He wanted to make a statement to the Discipline Squad, underestimated the resistance Karasuba put up and was forced to show more of his cards than he thought he needed to. End of story. He doesn't have to pussyfoot around guys.**_

_**That being said, I repeat, the bottom line for Naruto even bothering to enter the Sekirei plan, is TO HAVE FUN. Why so serious people? You want serious, do as I suggested and read "Ashikabi no Shinobi" by pokemaster12 or "In Flight" by Gabriel Blessing. Those are pretty serious fics. I myself like to just make things more random so that it feels different from your normal Sekirei fic. **_

_**Now, that should cover most of the questions that were asked! There was also the question of when the heck am I going to write lemons into this fic. I don't really see the need to. I reckon what I'm doing right now is enough to hint at stuff like that. I don't want to turn this into a smut fic. It'll get really, really dry. **_

_**Also, here I give Kudos to Mzr90, who gave me a rather accurate estimate of how cup sizes go. I think he's using the European version, but I'm not too sure. I sure as hell ain't gonna use the Jap version, they'll go to bloody I cups in that case.**_

_**Alright! Moving on! That was quite a long one wasn't it? Heh heh. Right, Chapter 5, start!**_

* * *

A Second Journey

Chapter 5: Fresh Encounters

By the time Kagari arrived back at Izumo Inn, it was evening once more. It had been quite the eventful day for him, something that he had not expected when he rushed out to avoid Miya and that new guy's 'quarrel'. Imagine his surprise when next morning just after he finished his shift, Takami rang him up and told him that she'd be coming over for a drink.

The conversation they had lasted for the entire afternoon, where the Head Researcher of the Sekirei Plan told Kagari that he might want to watch out for their latest resident at Izumo Inn. Just last night, two more Sekirei somehow disappeared off the MBI's radar, and for some surprising reason, they were unable to salvage any evidence as to who the culprit might be. All they found at the scene was a headless No. 93 lying on the floor terminated. It was a pretty gruesome scene and from the looks of things, it wasn't done by a Sekirei. But for her to believe that a human did that was something that was going against everything she had learned ever since she participated in the research of Sekirei.

Naturally, Kagari had already exchanged information with Takami with regards to the 'scrapped number' who was now apparently winged, which only served to add to her distress. She herself had tried to search for a way to undo the damage for No. 7 but was unable, and yet this human that just appeared out of nowhere had successfully accomplished something that no human should be able to. What's worse, he somehow removed the tracking signal they had on his Sekirei, making it difficult to monitor the health situations of the Sekirei.

Then Takami broke out more news that earlier this morning, just as Kagari was finishing his shift, that Naruto person clashed directly with the Discipline squad and _won_. That got Kagari's attention as he gaped in disbelief.

_Naruto fought with Karasuba and won? Are you kidding me?_

Reaching into her lab coat, she pulled out a small folder containing an information page on one Uzumaki Naruto. Imagine Kagari's surprise when all he saw in every column bar sex and name was 'unknown'.

_Sources do say that he's a special consultant working for Trinity Inc. While it hasn't been confirmed yet, it would explain how everything about him is kept secret. Trinity Inc. ensures that the privacy of their employees is protected in hostile territories after all._

Kagari had digested that information and inquired more about the fight Naruto had with the Discipline Squad. Sekirei were stronger than humans, that was the absolute belief they had been told over and over, and yet it would seem that there were exceptions to this rule.

_Why don't you go back and ask him? Surely they're holding a grilling session right now as we speak. Do me a favor and get some information on the kid. I like him._

_Huh? You like him? Why?_

_This kid told Natsuo to assure me that No. 7, 11 and 12 were all safe with him and basically told Minaka to fuck off. Any guy that has the balls to go straight up against MBI is good enough for me. The fact that he doesn't like Minaka is just a bonus._

_But shouldn't you be worried that he's from Trinity Inc? _

_Not really. Back when we just started, Trinity Inc had already signed an agreement with us that they would not interfere with our development in Japan. We had suspected it was due to our research on the Sekirei Plan but we could never be sure. Looks like we were right all along. _

_I see…_

Which brought us back to present time, where Kagari was slowly making his way back to Izumo Inn. All along the way, he was thinking about how he should go about asking a few questions that he simply did not know answers to. Even though Naruto was said to be from Trinity Inc, that still doesn't explain how he was able to use those special powers to fight Karasuba to a standstill. Not many Sekirei could escape from her, let alone force her to a draw. There couldn't be any other Sekirei apart from the ones currently in MBI's care, since Takami would definitely have received some sort of information on them.

While it was true that MBI wasn't as strong as Trinity Inc in many aspects, they weren't too far off. Sighing, the gray-haired Sekirei ran a hand through his head even as he saw the gate of Izumo Inn in the distance, "Guess I'll just have to wait and see for myself."

Readying himself for the confrontation that was to come, Kagari took a deep breath and pushed open the front door, ready to greet everyone with his usual, professional smile.

Before he could even say anything, he was treated to a sight of the blond he had been talking about all afternoon being strangled by what he could only assume as all of his Sekirei with them demanding an explanation, "What do you mean you're not gonna tell us until you have your full harem?! How many more are you gonna get? Huh?!"

Well, only No.11 was really strangling him, No. 12 was just there to hold him down though the way she was chuckling, she didn't seem to put any effort into it. Akitsu placed a finger on his neck and acted as if she was trying her best. No. 88 appeared to have thought that this was a game and joined in, not knowing that she was probably choking Naruto harder than Hikari did.

"Ara, Kagari, welcome back." It was a cheerful Miya who greeted him even as he felt himself sweatdropping at the scene before him.

"Ah… Thanks Miya." He was still trying to get over the fact that the blond was currently faking his death with choking sounds, which then led to a complete change in attitude from… Hikari was her name, wasn't it? Yeah, Hikari. Anyway, said Sekirei was now tending to his 'sickness' with great care, asking him in a worried manner as to whether or not he was okay.

Her sister was seen hiding her smile even as she mumbled about how Hikari really was a tsundere.

"Surprised?"

"Eh? Ah, well… you know…" Scratching his head, he stepped into the living room, "It's not every day you come back expecting this."

"No, not many do." The purplette chuckled even as her eyes held a deadly glint, "Not many live to talk about it after all."

Kagari felt himself sweating a bit, "Er… Miya, the mask is coming out again."

"Oh! Ufufufu! How careless of me. I was just trying to imagine how I should torture Uzumaki-san before he spills his secrets."

The Flame Sekirei could only gape even as the blond's indignant shriek of 'NEVER!' was heard over the din in Izumo Inn. Truthfully, it was just like Uzume said the other day. This place really had become livelier than ever. He couldn't remember the last time Miya so being so playful.

Miya, to him, had always been a maternal figure he looked up to. He knew that she insisted she was just an older sister, but that really was just a minor detail. From what he had gathered after talking to Takami over the years, Miya had really changed a lot since she first was let out of the laboratory. It would seem that her husband, Takehito-san, was the main reason. She was much more compassionate, more giving in a way where she would be willing to help others, whereas before, it was quite clear that she would kill without much consideration. That was what she was adjusted to do after all.

Watching her now, Kagari couldn't help but smile even as the landlady began muttering darkly as she fingered her blade. It was quite amusing to watch her being riled up like this, what with her usual composure, happy smiles now being transformed into something completely different. Just who was this blond?

"Yo! Amoeba-kun! Good to see you back!"

Kagari blinked twice, before his eyes narrowed dangerously, "_What_ did you call me?"

"Ara! Why so serious, Amoeba-kun! I'm just trying to save you from Miya's wrath because she's still plotting to kill me even though she has yet to succeed in her endeavors."

_This… he… Amoeba?! Did he see through… no… it was not possible. Wait, but Takami said… haha… it must just be his odd sense of humour, there was no way that he would know of my situation so easily, MBI has kept it a strict secret after all. Takami really knows how to crack a joke, as if there really is an Ashikabi out there for me…_

Staring back at the grin that the blond was sporting, Kagari couldn't help but release a sigh.

_Even if there was, it wouldn't be him. _

_It better not be._

Famous last words.

**X – X **

Quite a lot had happened since Naruto was dragged by the ear back to Izumo Inn. It was quite weird to see the landlady so angry over something so insignificant. So what if he had just gone head to head against the infamous Black Sekirei? He was still alive, wasn't he?

This woman just worried way too much. He couldn't help but smirk when she had thrown him into a room, locked it and began to stare at him with those half-lidded eyes. If he didn't know better, he would say she was reacting to him. In actual fact, it was just her trying to bore holes in his head to find out what was resting underneath.

_How could you be so stupid to pick a fight with the Discipline Squad?!_

Those were the first words that came out of her cute, little mouth. Yes, so he had wanted to teach them a lesson for what they did to Akitsu back then and maybe just show off a little bit because he could, but in the end, it all came down to the fact that he didn't really care. He had the utmost faith in his abilities to protect everyone precious to him in this city no matter the situation.

Er, yeah that's a bit too confident, and really arrogant coming from someone who's been a shinobi all his life _but_, he knew that he had Miya on his side to help him protect his Sekirei, and as a result, decided to go off and beat up some canines.

_Please, Miya, they were just puppies waiting to be kicked. _

Her response was to give him a resounding slap, which he intercepted even as she continued to glare at him.

_That doesn't mean you go out stirring trouble! What if something had happened to you! It was clear that you underestimated that woman! Why, if I had not been there…_

Feeling his eyes soften despite the harsh wording that she used, Naruto smiled even as he nuzzled his cheek into the palm.

_I'm fine. Honest. We really need to spar sometime. Since the cat's out of the bag, might as well get something out of it. This way you'll be rest assured that I'm always going to be fine. I really don't think that any of the Sekirei bar you and her could kill me. _

The purplette pursed her lips even as she spoke in a sardonic manner.

_Says the guy that had trouble just dodging her attacks._

Rolling his eyes, Naruto simply reached into his reserves and drew on his Sage Chakra, instantly changing the entire feel of the room, even as he stared back at those surprised hazel eyes.

_She wasn't the only one holding back, you know._

Clenching her fists, Miya slowly shook her head even as she felt the immense power from the blond before her.

_You're making this very difficult for me._

Smiling, the blond simply shrugged, before dismissing Sage mode, and leaned closer even as his forehead almost touched hers.

_For you to trust me, or for you to not worry about me?_

Miya simply whacked him on the head as she left the room, not even bothering to answer that question. The other Sekirei who had just entered Izumo Inn was quick to realize that the landlady had a small frown of distaste even as laughter of a certain blond reverberated in the Inn.

Those sounds of glee were instantly cut off when a solemn Uzume went up to inform him that he wasn't allowed lunch as per the landlady's orders. That had him rushing down to the kitchen where he proceeded to try and force Miya to cook him something.

His attempts were obviously foiled, seeing how all his Sekirei had turned upon him by demanding that he tell them more about himself before he could eat. Miya was obviously the one to get them all started, and he couldn't help but curse at how manipulative she was; not that it was hard with his bunch though. He couldn't blame them for wanting to know more about him, but seeing how it was just too troublesome to go through his entire two thousand or so years of history, he decided to ignore the threats and hisses that came from his 'lovely' girls and proceeded to eat lunch despite scathing remarks directed at him throughout the meal.

In actual fact, his Sekirei could feel his emotions through the bond, and were able to pick up bits and pieces, but these were nowhere enough to satisfy their curiosity. They knew he was letting them have their fun by trying to taunt him into revealing more about himself, but at the end of the day, they trusted him. Their lives were saved by him, so there really was no need to question his motives.

Uzume would egg them on, trying to tease the blond and get him to spill his 'darkest secrets' or so she deemed it. That was the only reason she could come up with that could explain why Naruto didn't want to reveal his past. She did end up surprising him enough to have him almost choke on what he was eating when she blurted out something that had everyone at the table look at him weird.

_I know! You must have been a playboy! It all fits in! Your natural charisma, your way with the girls, and your prowess in bed! It must be!_

Naruto barely resisted the urge to pummel the girl even as he got back up from his face-fault, choosing instead to glare at his Sekirei who were all currently busy shoveling rice down their throats, using the bowls to hide their blushing faces from view.

_Pray tell, how do you know about my 'prowess in bed', or so you called it?_

_Oh don't be shy! Hikari told me mmmph!_

Naturally, some things were meant to stay secrets, and the Lightning twins felt that it was necessary to teach that to No. 10.

So the pattern continued on, which was why Kagari witnessed the choking scene by the time he returned to Izumo Inn. It was actually quite good timing of the Flame Sekirei, not that he knew it of course, because just when Naruto was about to bolt for the door to escape from the 'questioning session' (not really, they all knew it was more of a bonding session considering how much fun the Sekirei had in trying to grab hold of their Ashikabi and force him to succumb to their demands), his I-phone rang.

All movement within the room stopped as Naruto peered onto the screen, only to find a certain white-haired individual smirking at him in a very disturbing way.

"_Ding ding ding dong! Nice to meet you Uzumaki-kun! My name is Minaka Hiroto! The greatest man that this world has ever – "_

Before the man could even finish his sentence, Naruto had hung up on him. Acting as though he did that on a regular basis, Naruto resumed his stance for bolting out the door, with the Sekirei all staring at him like he was nuts.

"A-ano…" Musubi weakly raised her hand in an attempt to get Naruto's attention.

"Hm? Yes Musubi-chan? You can ask your question as long as it doesn't involve me in any way." His foxy grin was in place, meaning that he was in 'dodge-mode' again.

"You shouldn't just hang up on people like that…"

Naruto blinked a few times, before raising an eyebrow, "He looked like such a douche though."

Even as his Sekirei sweatdropped, the phone rang once again, and Naruto rolled his eyes as he picked up, only for the same man to appear once more, seemingly flustered.

"_Did you just hang up on me?!"_

"Yes, why?"

"_What do you mean 'why'?! That's so impolite! At least let me finish my – "_

**Beep.**

Pocketing his phone, Naruto again resumed his bolting stance, only to be stopped by a whack on the head by Hikari, "You baka! That was the chairman!"

Turning his head back towards her in a robotic manner, sending goosebumps all over her skin, Naruto asked, "And?"

"That could have been a phone call to give you more information about the Sekirei Plan!"

"So?"

"You should have listened to what he had to say!"

"But he's such a douchebag."

"What does that have to do with anything?!" One could just tell that Hikari was hyperventilating. She had been doing that quite a lot ever since she arrived at Izumo Inn with the blond.

However, she was saved as once again, Naruto's phone rang.

"_Now see here!"_

**Beep.**

"NARUTO!" She was on the verge of frying him.

Hibiki sighed as she struggled to hold her sister back, "Erm, Akitsu, could you maybe steal Naruto's phone?"

The Ice Sekirei gave a curt nod, and turned to the blond with her hand held out.

"Erm, I said _steal_."

"… Ah…" A small blush appeared on her face even as she left her hand there, "Naruto-sama…"

The blond shrugged his shoulders and was about to hand over his phone so that he could 'bolt' when the phone rang again.

This time however, a different voice sounded.

"_Is this Uzumaki Naruto?"_

"Yeah. Who's this?" Seeing that he was actually having a conversation with the person on the other end, the other Sekirei all breathed a sigh of relief.

"_This is Sahashi Takami, head researcher of the Sekirei plan. Nice to meet you."_

"Uh huh."

"_This phone call was supposed to be an induction call for 'rookies' who have just entered the Sekirei plan. Would it be okay if I pass it back onto the idiot… I mean the chairman so that he can brief you on what to expect?"_

"No thanks. I'm good." This time, even Uzume couldn't resist and made a face of distaste at Miya, trying to get the landlady to do something.

"_Is that so? Well, I guess that is to be expected. You are from Trinity Inc after all. Though I was quite surprised when reports came back to us. O-oi! What are you –"_

"_I believe I should be the one doing the talking! We are of equal status after all, isn't that right, Mr. CEO?" _

Silence ensued for a moment, before Naruto cringed at the multiple death glares that were now on him, with the scariest of them all being Miya's one.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Slowly inching towards the door, he found his escape route cut off by the Lightning Twins.

"_Oh please, there's no need to feel honored! I mean, I can totally understand how hard it was to have built up a company like that, we can even share some of our experiences on how to make awesome games like the Sekirei Plan! I mean – "_

"Switch over to Sahashi or I'll hang up." He was eyeing the landlady warily as she fingered the kitchen knife in a disturbing manner.

"_Ah ah! Wait a minute! Why won't you talk to me?! I am the guy who orchestrated the Sekirei – "_

"That's why. Now swap you douchebag."

"_Douche - ! Why I never! How can you be so impoli – "_

**Beep.**

"Uzumaki-san." The landlady did not hesitate to let the blond know her irritation.

"I did say I was a _special_ consultant, you know like, _special_? You get me?" Old habits die hard as he began scratching his head with a rather bright, awkward smile.

"Er, bro, do you actually think that's gonna work?" Uzume piped even as she waited for the 'volcano' to erupt.

Cold hazel orbs glowered right at him even as he winced. He knew it was somewhat his fault… alright, _all_ his fault. It was one thing to hide your secret, it was another lying outright when he had actually obtained Miya's trust. There was just this faint connection between them ever since he had appeared before her twenty years ago, and though the No. 1 Sekirei didn't remember, it was quite obvious that she felt something within him that had deemed him trustworthy. It was all subconscious, and Miya herself wouldn't really understand it until she actually remembered their little conversation they had on that fateful day.

At the moment, it was more of a hint to the landlady that Naruto _should _be telling her the truth. After all, Miya was the first one to react to Naruto way back then, and it was imprinted on her that she should be his Alpha. The genjutsu Naruto had casted somewhat affected that line of thought because the target that she should be trusting had disappeared from her memory. So Miya had to undergo quite a few adjustments by Takehito to find out what went wrong with the No. 1 Sekirei who was often seen with tears in her eyes for no reason whatsoever. It would appear that Miya was under the constant impression that she had lost something precious to her, and it really took a long time and quite some effort for Takehito to convince her that it was all just part of her imagination. At least, that's what the researchers thought it was, because they couldn't for the life of them find out what exactly that 'something' was.

Naruto didn't and couldn't know that his appearance back then would have led to a huge emotional change for Miya. While Takehito was the one who taught her about compassion, it was Naruto's temporary bond with her that allowed her to feel for herself the lifestream, and the thoughts of the dead that rested within it. Through that, it allowed her to gain a better insight as to what was truly important and what was not. The seed had been planted, and Takehito had helped water it.

Now, gazing at the grimace present on her face, Naruto couldn't help but sigh, "I really am sorry, and I know it's hard to believe me, but trust me when I say I'm not really lying when I told you I was a special consultant. Even though I am the CEO of Trinity Inc, I rarely ever look over its operations, and I myself prefer to travel around and sight see, finding interesting things to do wherever I go. I truly am here for a holiday."

Smiling slightly, he continued, "You really shouldn't be so upset you know, you still have yet to tell me anything about yourself, so I reckon it's fair play that I don't tell you _everything _about me."

The landlady simply stared at him for a few more seconds, before closing her eyes and shaking her head, "I… cannot." A flicker of pain flashed through her eyes before they returned to normal, "At least, not yet." She gave him a rueful smile as she went on, "There is someone that I have to remember first."

Before the blond could inquire further about who that someone was, the phone rang once more, much to his annoyance.

"Yes? What is it now?"

"_Hello? Sorry, this is Sahashi again. I was wondering if you could pop over to the MBI headquarters tomorrow. Minaka has insisted that I tell you_ _Sekirei Plan since you didn't want to hear it from him. While we're at it, I also have a favour to ask from you." _

"Oh?" Raising an eyebrow, Naruto could already feel a smirk forming on his lips, "Why so polite? Rumors have it that Sahashi Takami is the incarnation of Satan herself."

"_Ha! That nickname never gets old. Oh shush it boy and get your ass over here tomorrow first thing in the morning. Bring your Sekirei with you as well so that I can give them a health check."_

"So you can put your trackers back in them? No thanks."

"_Please, don't take me for a fool. If you can remove them once, you can do it twice. I'm not wasting my million dollar nanobots for something so stupid."_

"Heh, so see you at ten tomorrow?"

"_Make it nine."_

With that, the phone call ended, with Naruto chuckling slightly, "I like this woman."

Ignoring the gapes he was receiving from the Lightning Twins, Naruto turned to Musubi, who looked really excited, "You want to go too?"

"Yes please! Musubi hasn't seen her adjuster for some time now!" Her eyes were twinkling with enthusiasm as she squealed with glee.

Ruffling her hair in an affectionate manner, Naruto then walked straight up to Miya, causing the landlady to gaze back at him in curiosity, "So… want to spar?"

Dead silence permeated the room as Kagari and Uzume both had their jaws on the ground once again. They really were doing that a lot recently. The rest of the Sekirei didn't really feel that shocked only because they didn't know how strong the landlady was. If they had known that their Ashikabi had just challenged _the_ No. 1 Sekirei to a spar…

Miya's eyes narrowed slightly as she contemplated the notion, "What brought this on?"

The blond simply grinned and replied, "Well, this is my idea of 'trust'. You'll be able to know what I am capable of, and I get a better idea of what you can do. That way, in the future, it'll be easier to plan whatever it is that I intend to do."

"Really now. But what reason is there for me to be a part of anything you might be planning to do? I'm not intere – " She was cut off as Naruto took one step closer to her.

"I wouldn't be so sure now." His eyelids curved into a typical Kakashi-type 'eye-smile', "I wasn't joking when I first said I was going after you, Miya." His entire posture changed in that instant, giving off an aura of feral dominance as his eyes opened to show that his pupils had narrowed into slits, changing into a very nostalgic crimson colour at the same time.

"You _will_ be mine."

Once again, jaws were smashing into the grounds all over the place, including in a certain attic at a certain Inn somewhere in the northern sector, just a floor above where they were now.

The landlady maintained her 'professional' smile even as the corners curved to give off quite a dangerous tint, as she responded with a mocking tone, "Oh really? Are you going to say 'believe it'?"

"Yes." This time, his lips mimicked hers forming his trademark foxy grin, which combined with the eyes and his faint birthmarks on his cheek (which somehow were more distinct now that his Sekirei looked at it), "Believe it, yeah?"

The floors were going to have holes in them at the rate at which jaws were punching through them. Especially the attic, the flooring there was especially thin.

Neither of the two spoke, merely maintaining their gazes, before Miya turned around and began walking towards the front yard, her hand resting on her katana as she gracefully made her way to one end and stood there patiently waiting.

Upon seeing this, the blond felt his smile grow and followed suit.

The other Sekirei, with the exception of Akitsu, were all rooted to their spots. The past few minutes were just too much for them to handle, especially for Kagari and Uzume.

No one had _ever_ dared say that to Miya. Like _no one_.

You didn't just claim to want to take ownership over the strongest individual on this planet and then get away with it without a world of hurt.

Kagari in particular, wanted to think that he saw wrong, but he could have sworn that a slight hue of scarlet could be seen on the face of the landlady.

_No, it can't be. It must be the lights playing tricks on my eyes. That's right, she's in the dark right now, how would I be able to see anything? Hahaha! There's just no way Miya would be blushing over this! Ahahahaha!_

Naruto however, saw it too and couldn't help but tease the landlady once more, "How's it feel being on the receiving end this time eh? Ms. S!"

His reply was for her to charge right at him, blade remaining in the scabbard as she began to execute her Iaijutsu, intending on ending his life for that comment, "You did _not_ see anything!"

"Mwahahahaha! Bow down to the greatness that is Uzumaki Naruto! Shinobi Extraordinaire!"

As expected, Naruto stopped her execution with an agile move, brandishing twin kunai from out of nowhere, effectively once again raising more than a few eyebrows plus more jaw dropping.

The deadlock lasted for a few seconds, before Naruto began sweatdropping.

_Shit… I didn't just say I was a Shinobi did I…. Ah fuck my life…_

"Uzumaki-san." Her tone reached the perfect 'flat' timbre, indicating she was in _that_ mode again.

"Urgh… yes, Miya?"

"Let's just find out how much more you're hiding from me, hm? Shinobi-san." With that, she launched into a flurry of strikes, way too fast for any of the other Sekirei to even see, though Naruto didn't seem to have any problem as he was heard yelling over the tornado of slices.

"Hey I _said_ I would be showing you what I was able to do right?"

"Uzumaki-san, there has been no signs of Shinobi in this world since three hundred years ago. How, pray tell, could you be a Shinobi in that case?"

_Uh oh. I do not want to go into my age at the moment…_

"Where exactly are you from?" Her eyes were filled with a rare determination to beat the crap out of this insolent blond in front of her who had the audacity to announce that _she_ would be _his_! Yes she would, she would discipline this brute to within an inch of his life before she forced him to answer her questions through some tort… some fine-tuned inquisition.

"You know, those thoughts of yours are _really_ unhealthy." A certain blond couldn't help but sweatdrop.

_Was she always this S?_

"Oh ho? So you can read people's thoughts as well? This is _very_ interesting…" If anything, her pace picked up even more.

_Me and my big mouth…_

It would be a long while later before Miya finally claimed victory in this 'spar', simply because Naruto had decided to forfeit given how the landlady seemed to be aiming suspiciously towards his lower regions a bit too often in the later stages and he decided he didn't want to risk it.

He was confident power wise, he was the stronger one. Technique wise in terms of kenjutsu however, he was nowhere near the prowess of Miya. He never really used blades that much in his life time anyway. Everybody who knew Uzumaki Naruto, as in really _knew_ him, understood that he was more of a brawler than anyone in his era ever was. There was just no equal to him in that department. He didn't need a fixed skill set or motion or stances and that sort of stuff. Give him some space, a bunch of explosive tags and bam, there was the destruction machine everyone was looking for.

One man army didn't even come close to describing what he could do in the war. Kage Bunshin plus Hiraishin was just like one of those RPG game cheat codes that one used to make it easier to slaughter the enemies.

It was quite the sad day when Naruto realized he had been bested by the tiny courtyard of Izumo Inn and the devious mind of the lovely landlady. It wasn't even funny how he was forced to fight within a fixed range because of how quick her slashes were. Truth be told, the blond hadn't really met someone who was so skilled at kenjutsu _ever_. The Seven Swordsmen of Kirigakure really weren't swordsmen in Naruto's humble opinion. They were butchers, judging from the sizes of the blades they carried. None of them were fast compared to what Miya was able to do. The blade itself was way smaller and lighter compared to the likes of Kubikiri Houchou and Samehada, plus Miya was so much hotter than…

Wait no, no it wasn't because she had that elegant smile on her face all throughout the fight.

It was _definitely_ not because of how cute she looked with that slight blush on her face.

It might have been because she was actually trying to kill him at some points because he knew that _she knew_ that _he knew_ she had a blush on her face.

Complicated, yes, but it explained quite a lot.

Let it be said that feminine rage was quite the scary power.

Once that was over, Naruto had returned to the living room only to find them all staring at him as though he grown two heads. Naturally that meant that he was pestered by Musubi to teach her how to fight, having Uzume gush over how much of a 'man' he was, whatever that meant and Kagari staring at him with veiled suspicion. He couldn't blame the poor dude, the guy didn't even know what sex he was, of course he would be suspicious of anyone that might pose a threat to him. Not that Naruto was going to rape an amoeba or anything, but you get the picture.

Miya, on the other hand, seemed rather satisfied that she had outclassed Naruto (who simply flipped his hair and gave her a 'whatever' look) and had bid everyone goodnight before returning to room. The fact that she was actually humming should be enough to tell everyone how content she felt.

Shaking his head in exasperation, the blond had trudged heavily back to his room, with his three Sekirei in tow and decided to call it an early night. Miya was never going to let him live this one down.

"I've been wanting to ask you this all night, Naruto-sama." The normally quiet Ice Sekirei whispered even as they laid down into the same futon.

"Hm?"

"Did you invent the saying 'believe it'? Because I've never heard anyone else say that before." Her tone was flat just like always, though Naruto could hear a hint of genuine curiosity within it.

"… Kinda… My mum used to say something similar though."

The Lightning Twins began giggling as they embraced their Ashikabi from either sides, "Awww, that's so adorable!"

_Great, I am now cute. Come on, throw me your worst, I can take it._

Hibiki went on to nuzzle his cheek, "You're just a big softie, aren't you?"

_ #!&# $!..._

**X – X **

Waking up was a fun procedure once again, the kisses, the cuddles and the occasional groping, you know, fun stuff. That being said, Naruto was quite surprised that Miya didn't randomly appear and start launching ladles at him. Wasn't she going to regurgitate the 'no lewd acts' speech?

Shrugging, the blond went downstairs ready to have breakfast, not really fussed that the landlady had decided to overlook his breeching of the rules. The moment he had stepped foot into the kitchen, he knew why Miya didn't bother showing up in his room. She was right there with tons of ladles, firing them all straight at him, aiming to catch him off guard.

Naruto had to twist, turn and weave his body through a variety of angles that shouldn't even be possible for a human being , before landing back onto the ground with ladles in his hands and mouth.

"Bleh! What is the meaning of this?!" Spitting out the offending cooking utensil, the blond protested in an aggravated manner.

"What have I been telling you all these days hm?" Her mask, aura and smile were all in place as she readied more ladles.

"Where on earth are you even getting them all from?! Can you trace them or something?!"

"Ara, ara, I have no idea what you're on about, oh ho ho ho."

"That sounds so fake it's not even funny!"

"Uzumaki-san, it's forbidden to be so loud this early in the morning in Izumo Inn."

"Stop adding new rules to your already ridiculous collection!"

By then, a sleepy Uzume slowly slogged into the room, mumbling a barely audible 'morning' as she plopped into her seat at the table and promptly rested her head on the cool surface. Musubi followed right behind her, a complete contrast to the lazy Sekirei, her entire body the very image of 'energetic', what with those perky breasts and…

_Wait Uzume's are actually bigger and firmer, now that I think about it..._

"Lewd thoughts are prohibited in Izumo Inn." Another ladle was hurled at him, this time however, it was quite surprising when the culprit turned out to be Uzume. She was quite irritated that the blond had been openly goggling at her chest region.

"Would you stop that?!" Let it be known that there was a limit to how much our kind, open-minded, nature-loving blond could take. Also let it be known that even at more than two thousand years old, he was rather childish.

Grabbing a ladle, he flung it right back at the landlady, "Ha! Take that!" It was when he noted the conniving grin on No. 10's face before he realized that he had thrown it at the wrong person.

"Uzumaki-san…" A storm was brewing even as she slowly closed in on the sweating blond.

_Oh shit…_

"Seiza!"

**X – X**

This was just not his day. Naruto couldn't help but wonder if there was some godly entity out there that was out to get him. It was bad enough that he had to sit on his knees for the better part of an hour, _without breakfast again_. He had gritted his teeth and swore divine revenge on a certain purplette landlady that seemed just a bit _too_ happy for his liking and had set off with his three Sekirei plus Musubi to the MBI headquarters. Note, everyone _but him_ was full and satisfied from what he heard was a _very_ tasty breakfast.

Speaking of which, he had yet to taste any cooking done by Miya. That was another thing he wanted to protest about. What was up with that?! How did touching your _own_ Sekirei in ways that would have given her ecstasy beyond belief mean that you don't get food?! It was bad enough that he couldn't get ramen at this Inn (he hadn't had the time to go grocery shopping yet) but now to tell him that he couldn't even just get _food_! Preposterous!

Naturally, he lost that argument against the landlady again when she had gone into lecture mode once more about why bad children needed to be punished. It didn't matter that he really didn't _need_ to eat. Being a sennin meant that you were supposed to survive on energy alone, so he could technically live on for at least a month before he even felt hunger, but that had never stopped Naruto from _eating_! Hell no! He loved to eat! It was like one of his few joys in life!

_Curse you Miya!_

Okay, so that was that. He had cursed the lady, gotten away with it, and was now in the lobby of MBI, waiting for someone to lead the way to MBI Research Laboratories, where Takami was waiting for him. After seeing who had been sent to come get him, he couldn't help but feel a headache coming up.

"You know, I don't really see why the Discipline Squad needs to be involved with something like this. Can't you just get some random dude to take me there? I'm sure you have a very busy schedule." The blond deadpanned even as he stared blankly at the smirking female before him.

Dressed in her typical attire, Karasuba simply shrugged even as she began walking in the direction of the labs, ignoring the Lightning Twins who seemed to be rooted to the spot with gaping expressions on their faces, "You'd be surprised at how free I usually am."

"Oh reaaaaally?" Naruto drawled as he followed behind her, "I would have expected you guys to kill or main at least one human or Sekirei every day."

"We usually do, but since Benitsubasa's currently incapacitated being tended to by Natsuo, we're on temporary break. At least that's what that woman said." The Black Sekirei nonchalantly made small chit-chat with the blond as though they didn't just try to kill each other twenty four hours ago.

Raising an eyebrow, Naruto motioned for Akitsu to grab the Lightning Twins and… wait, where was Musubi?

"She said she had to find someone and left us the moment we reached this place." The Ice Sekirei had managed to slap her two 'sisters' out of their daze and got them to follow.

"Oh? Mu-chan is with you?" A savage smirk grew on her lips even as her eyes brightened with life, "I wonder if she's gotten any stronger."

"Oi, you're a single digit, she's like eighty-eight, surely there's no need to bully her like that. Besides, Musubi isn't even winged yet, it's overkill." Frowning, Naruto was about to continue before he blinked and did a one-eighty with his attitude, "Waaaait a minute! How come you're not winged yet?!" Pointing a finger straight at an amused Karasuba, the blond found himself shocked for the umpteenth time this morning.

"So it is true, you _can_ detect their energy balances." A more mature voice spoke up this time, causing Naruto to spin on his heels once again.

"It's not polite to scare people to death on their first encounters Sahashi-san, and no I can't. I have not even the slightest idea what you're on about."

_I really like this kid. I can't for the heck of me understand why but I like him._

That was the first impression Sahashi Takami got from looking at the blond whistling in an innocent manner (or so he thought).

"Nice to meet you too, Uzumaki Naruto, and Takami's fine, don't bother with honorifics. I get enough idiots calling me that all day already." With an amused smile on her face, the grey-haired woman then turned to his Sekirei, "Looks like you all made it out alright."

"Ah… hai." The Ice Sekirei smiled back hesitantly, unsure of what she should say to the woman who had once tried to help her.

The Lightning twins found it easier since they had less interactions with Takami since she wasn't their main adjuster, "Yes, we did. Thank you for asking."

Karasuba chuckled even as she eyed Akitsu with a playful smile, "Not going to take revenge on me?"

The Ice Sekirei merely spared her a glance, before shaking her head slightly, "If you hadn't injured me, I would not have met my Ashikabi. In some ways, I should be thanking you instead."

The Black Sekirei's smile merely widened upon hearing that, her eyes leering at the blond male who was currently deadpanning at how his Sekirei was thanking someone for almost killing her, "Yes, I reckon you should. After all, what are the chances that a scrapped number could actually meet the one Ashikabi in this entire world that could wing you?"

"Oi, don't push it." A warning glance was sent at the Black Sekirei from the blond who was getting a little annoyed that she kept referring to _his_ Aki-chan as a scrapped number, only for said Ice Sekirei to put a comforting hand on his arm.

"No, it's okay. What she said was the truth, there was _no way_ for me to be winged. That is why I swore to myself that fateful day, that I would be yours forever and ever." Her eyes were filled with warmth even as she gently pressed herself against a resigned Naruto, "I don't see why you can't understand that."

The blond rolled his eyes even as he made a wild gesture with his hand towards Takami, "Normally I would. But seeing how you are willing to literally die for me makes me just a tad uncomfortable. I'm not so useless that I would need one of my precious people to die in my place, it has always been the other way round." Stroking her cheeks lightly even as he continued, he jerked his head towards the Lightning twins, "Those two have the same issues as well, insisting that they protect me at all times."

"Why, you should be happy then. I don't see what you're complaining about." Takami replied, quite pleased with the way these Sekirei were turning out. By the looks of it, they seemed to have found a very… _unique_ Ashikabi.

"Okay, let me put it this way." He pointed at himself, "Me, strong." Then he pointed at Akitsu and the Lightning Twins, "Them, not so much." Ignoring the growls from Hikari and a slightly sheepish look on Hibiki's face, Naruto tried to get the head researcher to see his point of reasoning.

"As much as I hate to believe that you're actually stronger than a Sekirei, Karasuba has kindly given a full report of your last encounter, and I must say, I am really surprised. However, I still don't see your point."

Puffing his chest as he raised his fist into the air, he gave them a very 'youthful' smile, "Rule number one! A man must always protect a lady!" Then revealing his gleaming teeth, he went on, "Rule number two! The strong shall protect the weak!"

A flash of lightning was aimed directly at his head even as Hibiki tried to hold her sister back, "Who the hell are you calling weak? Huurh?! Wanna fight now you little - "

"Mo, Sis, calm down."

"Just because you're my Ashikabi doesn't mean you get to belittle me like this!"

Naruto simply did a facepalm, and turned to Akitsu, "Do you mind helping me out?"

"Hai." Without hesitation, Hikari was now encased in an ice coffin.

"Hey! Lemme out! Akitsu! I'll remember this! Next time you ask for help on the bed, don't expect me to take over and help you bail!"

"Sis!" It was quite sad that her sister still didn't realize that there were some things that one just didn't tell others.

Akitsu could only blush shyly even as Naruto gazed at her with a playful grin, "So… was I that good?"

"Alright that's enough. I have no need to know of your sex life. Geez, youngsters nowadays, go get a room." Shaking her head in exasperation, Takami gestured at Karasuba, "Thanks for bringing them. You may go now."

The Black Sekirei chuckled even as she turned around, "I knew you were an interesting individual, but this certainly adds incentive to when we next meet."

"Eh?" Naruto blinked.

It took him a few seconds before realization dawned in his mind, "Hey! That's right! You aren't winged! What the heck is up with that? I thought all members of the Discipline Squad were winged by that Natsuo dude!"

Continuing on her way, Karasuba replied with a sigh, "Natsuo… wasn't enough. He didn't have the qualities I was looking for." She did however, stop and slanted a glance at the blond, "Looks like I was right in my decision to wait. Farewell for now then… Oh that's right, if you do see Mu-chan, tell her to come pay me a visit. I'll be up on the roof for the next hour or so."

Just like that, the Black Sekirei left, leaving a ton of question marks over Naruto's head.

_Why did she sound like she was going to rape, ravish and ravage me? _

"Good luck, Uzumaki. Heh, you're gonna need it." The devilish giggle did not help soothe his nerves at all.

"Ah whatever, what will come will come, no point dwelling on what hasn't happened yet." Facing Takami, Naruto inquired, "So what did you want to talk to me about?"

Instead of her launching straight into her intentions, Takami took a moment to scrutinize the blond, making him slightly uncomfortable, "Er, something on my face?"

"You really are one of a kind." Sighing, the grey-haired woman took out a cigarette and lit it, before continuing, "Wish my son was like that."

**X – X **

"Ah ah ah AH CHOO!"

It was at that moment, a certain unassuming young man let out a huge sneeze, as though someone had just spoken badly about him.

Wearing a blue jacket over his white undershirt, a pair of blue jeans and sneakers, Sahashi Minato was your typical 'good guy'. He oozes goodness, to the extent that it was quite unsettling to see someone with so much 'good' in them.

He had helped an old lady cross the street, a little girl find her cat, a little boy find his mother, all within the time span of the last thirty minutes. It was uncanny to see someone still so enthusiastic in helping people despite just finding out that he had once again failed the entrance exams to Tokyo University.

And now, to think that he would have someone talking bad about him even as he was walking along trying to not drown in despair, Sahashi Minato looked up, only to find a bald Yakuza with snot all over his face glare at him with barely restricted anger.

"Ah! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I'm so so sorry! I'm so so so – "

"You son of a bitch!" Grabbing the annoying brat by his collar, the Yakuza proceeded to execute a perfect throw, flinging the slim young man with messy black hair directly over the outer walls of Hiyamakai Hospital.

"Eeeeehhhh?!"

_I just don't get to catch a break do I? _Minato thought to himself with imaginary tears gushing from his eyes as he flew through the air.

It would be a few moments later when he landed on a grassy patch with an 'oomph', scaring quite a few patients who were out resting on the lawns to enjoy the fresh air.

The last thing he saw before he lost consciousness was a pretty, young girl with long chestnut hair, dressed in a hospital gown, her legs neatly folded as she sat sideways on the lawn. She gave a quiet and soft 'eep', surprised by his sudden 'entrance' before quickly scrambling towards him, trying to ask him if he was alright.

_She's really pretty…_

And Minato fainted.

**X – X **

"So, why did you bring me to this laboratory? I really don't need a tour to show me how 'awesome' your facilities are."

"Just because you're from Trinity Inc. does not mean that you have seen everything, why if you would only let me run a few experiments on your body to find out how – "

"No thanks, I'm good." _What is it with mad scientists trying to decipher my body? _

"Tch, it's not like we'll cage you up and isolate you for ten years whilst we experiment on you." Mumbling to herself, Takami continued leading Naruto through the maze of rooms. His Sekirei were currently going through the usual checkups, and hence were not with him at this point.

Takami had tried to tease him, threatening to take away his Sekirei unless he participated in a few experiments. Naruto simply thinned his lips and rammed his fist right through the wall next to her head, as though that should explain everything.

Considering how the entire wall was now just a piece of rubble, it really did speak volumes to the power that he held within him, however, it turned out to be a mistake since Takami wasn't the least bit scared, but seemed to be more intent in getting him to let her do a body check on him.

_Such strength from a human! But how is that possible? Humans only have so much red muscle within them that… unless he has pink muscle? We haven't discovered a human with pink muscle till recent date, but that does not leave out the possibility that – _

Naruto had to practically drag Takami away from those computers so that she would actually remember what she wanted him for. He was curious though as to why a woman like Takami would be working for MBI, it didn't seem to fit in with her idea of research. The Sekirei Plan involved the Sekirei eliminating each other until there was only one left to receive the 'ultimate' prize. For her to watch her research engage in life and death battles and then having to patch them up once they were 'recovered' or so she put it, did not seem to make any sense.

_Life never makes sense, Uzumaki. My son, with an IQ that is about as high as mine, maybe even higher, has failed the entrance exams to Tokyo University because of nerves during the exam. How fair is that? He has the brains, the determination and the hard work, but he still fails. I guess it is somewhat my fault that he is the way he is now…_

Having witnessed firsthand just what Takami did to researchers who didn't do their job, it was quite safe to say that Naruto felt _extremely_ sorry for the poor kid who happened to be her son. That guy must have no confidence whatsoever…

_My daughter's personality however, leans more towards me, and hasn't really had much trouble in the confidence department, sometimes a little bit too much. Sigh, quite often I wish she would share some of that with her brother._

So there were actually two tigresses at home, not just one. You poor thing, you.

They had only been interrupted twice as they wandered through the laboratories. The first being Musubi who had come to find them after being unsuccessful in her search of the person she wanted to find. She had greeted Takami cheerfully with a hug, who returned it easily, before reminding the Sekirei about tiny details that Musubi would never really think about. Naruto had then told her that Karasuba was waiting for her up on the roof, to which she gasped and exclaimed that no wonder she couldn't find Karasuba anywhere else. That had led to Naruto sweatdropping at how much of a knucklehead she was.

The second interruption was a phone call from Takami's daughter, who had brought some bad news.

_Are you sure Yukari? Oh the lord, how can he fail twice?! That's ridiculous! I don't care what sorts of nerves you have during the exam, it can't be that bad! When he gets home, I'm gonna rip him a new one! Argh! This pisses me off! _

_No, no I still love him, but it's just frustrating to see him wallow in pity afterwards, you know how your brother gets, he's probably wandering around the city aimlessly right now, helping people all over the place. Sigh…_

_You wanna go comfort him for me? Be my guest. I've still got some matters to take care of over here… alright, alright I'll be home on time to cook dinner. But that doesn't mean he's forgiven! To think that my son would fail the entrance exams twice is just beyond my understanding. _

It was quite surprising, considering how the offspring of Takami should have at least received some of her genes, Naruto quietly wondered who the dad was to have given such pathetic genes.

Elsewhere a certain white-haired chairman of MBI sneezed, before mumbling about how stupid spiky blonds being rude to him.

After Takami had ended her phone call with her daughter, she then tried dialing her son's mobile number, only for a nurse at Hiyamakai Hospital to pick up, informing her that Sahashi Minato had just suffered from a concussion and was now slowly waking up.

The swearing that came after the phone call ended was enough to make Naruto shift two steps away from her, just in case she decided to take her anger out on him.

The blond though couldn't help but chuckle secretly. Murphy's law was at work for the poor kid it would seem. What can go wrong has gone wrong. All that's left is for Takami to skin him alive, which she definitely would do in a bit seeing how angry she was.

_I'm really sorry Uzumaki, but I've got to go. Could you just wait for a bit? I'll find someone else to show you the way._

Naruto had told her to take her time and that he would simply explore for himself until she got back.

So here he was, currently in a room filled with people wearing lab coats bustling around. Ignoring the glares that he kept receiving for accidentally getting in their way, Naruto simply turned around and left, trying to search for a place where he could get some peace and quiet.

Spotting a greenhouse isolated at the far end of the hall, Naruto made his way over and found himself a nice cozy spot under a palm tree. Closing his eyes he decided to take a short break, and just patiently wait for Takami to return. Hiyamakai Hospital wasn't that far from MBI headquarters from his knowledge, and considering how the woman would just be checking in to make sure her son's alright, it shouldn't take too long.

He was about to enter a nice slumber when he felt a tiny hand drag at his shirt.

Thinking it was just his imagination, Naruto ignored it and shifted his body, turning sideways. After a few seconds, the dragging continued and he couldn't help but frown. _Who the he… Eh?_

Opening his eyes, he was surprised to see a young child with smooth yellow hair tied up in a ribbon, pitifully trying to get his attention with tears in her eyes.

Blinking, Naruto eyed the child in front of curiously for a few seconds, before asking, "Are you alright?"

The little girl puckered her lips, tears building up as she slowly shook her head. Finding it strange that a girl as young as her would be in a place like this, he had first considered the possibility of this being Takami's daughter but instantly got rid of that idea. This girl was much too pure to be an exact copy of that crazy woman.

Elsewhere, a certain female sneezed, before continuing to flick through the BL manga she was reading, giving off disturbing giggles at the same time.

He would activate Sage mode just to get a better feel to confirm if this girl was a Sekirei or not but he didn't want to scare her off. The sudden change in atmosphere when he activated his eyes would be extremely obvious to a small child like her.

Just as he was about to reach out and comfort the little girl, she started weeping, her lovely, melodious voices sounding extremely sad, "Where is Shiina?"

"Eh?" Tilting his head, "Shiina?"

"Hm!" Those big round eyes of her shone with a shade of emerald, reminding him strongly of a certain female he loved.

"Er…" Shaking his head to clear his mind, he continued, "I don't know to be honest. Can you describe him to me? I'll try and help you find him."

"But… Kuu is really lonely! Kuu wants Shiina!" Her tears were coming more frequently now, and if there was one thing Naruto hated seeing was kids crying.

"No, no it's okay! I'll help you find him! Don't cry!" Doing his best to comfort her, Naruto gathered her gently into his arms, lightly patting her back with one hand and stroking her hair with the other, "Don't be scared."

"Sniff… sniff… but Kuu can't control her powers anymore." Her expression was absolutely adorable, looking as if she was about to do something really bad but felt really sorry about it…

Wait a minute.

"… Huh?" Naruto's eyes bugged out as he saw vines growing at an alarming speed all around them, instantly filling half the room with greenery.

"Kuu is really sorry, but…" Before she could finish her sentence, the vines had already charged at Naruto, deeming him an unknown presence that was a bit too close to their 'princess'.

Letting off a sigh of resignation, Naruto closed his eyes even as he reached into his core.

_Who am I kidding? Of course she's a Sekirei. As if they would let a small human child wander around. Oh well, time to do some weeding._

Ripples were seen across his cerulean orbs as he reopened his eyes, with swirls of aqua within them.

_Sage mode activated._

* * *

_**Urgh, felt like a good place to stop. Sorry if this chapter seemed a bit chunky and subpar, I'm just really tired this week, have been working overtime pretty much every single day. This chapter is just a bridge chapter for more development with Kusano and maybe even Minato. I just had this idea the other day when I was reading through Sekirei Wiki. Might have rushed some interactions throughout, so do forgive me for that. I'll try and elevate the quality next chapter.**_

_**I'm sure you guys can guess who Minato landed next to, so not much of a surprise there, but I just might make it work. Have to wait and see.**_

_**Any questions and thoughts about the chapter you guys might have, just put it in the review and I'll reply. Tomorrow's a Saturday so I'll be at home with some well-deserved rest. Ciao for now. **_


	7. Chapter 6: About Damn Time

_**A/N: I'm gonna talk about something completely unrelated to this fic for a bit. Ever since I've first started writing crossovers with Naruto, I've been wanting to start one with One Piece, Bleach, Final Fantasy, Dynasty Warriors, Fairy Tail and Sekirei. Now, I've done the first two and the last one so far. Fairy Tail I'm not really that kin at the moment because I'm behind in the manga, got bored because they time-skipped. Dynasty Warriors would be more of a hassle, so will put it off for a bit longer.**_

_**Now, Final Fantasy, the question is, which one should I write about? I'd love to do something with X, because well, that's like my first FF and one of my favs. I want to do VII for obvious reasons (TIFA HERP), but I don't know that game well enough, I always stop at disc 2 because I got sick of grinding. Don't want to do IX because even though that's my absolute favorite, I can't see myself making it any better than it is already, it's just that good. VIII is alright, not that fond of, but I did finish it. VI is just too damn complicated, too many characters. Anything after X I don't care, because it got a bit too… Square Enix after X. I do like Lightning from XIII but that's it, the story itself was bleh. **_

_**So I was wondering, do you guys reckon I should give VII or X a crack? Or should I just keep on with this one first. Because obviously if I do one on VII, I might need someone's help to give me lots and lots of info on the game, since Wiki only helps so much. **_

_**That aside, let's move on with the plot for this one. Some of you pointed out correctly that I forgot about Kazehana and the truth was… I did forget, heh heh, oops. (sowwy). So hopefully I'll remember to add her in here. Cheers.**_

* * *

A Second Journey

Chapter 6: About Damn Time

It really was quite the lovely day outside today. After being cooped up in her room for so long, she couldn't help but long to be let out and just enjoy the sun for a bit. After spending almost half an hour persuading her doctor to give her the 'go', her request was finally granted and she was allowed to be wheeled outside onto the lawn and have half an hour to herself.

While that wasn't much, it was still enough for the young teenage girl to stay happy for the rest of the day. She knew better than anyone else what her condition was and frankly speaking, she didn't hold much hope in whatever medication it was that she had been taking all this time. She could tell easily if she was getting better or not and simply put, she wasn't. While it was true she did feel better after taking it, the effects would just wear off after a certain period of time.

The doctors have been trying to comfort her, saying they're doing everything they could to help her but she had a feeling that it was just that, words of comfort. Would that still be the case when the Hidaka family account ran out of money? That was all the savings her parents had left her since they died years ago, and so far, it did its part in helping pay off her hospital fees, but she knew that there was a limit as to how much money there could be left in it. She wasn't born into that rich a family, just your above average middle-class lifestyle, with her being the sole daughter. She had been in the hospital when she was very young, so it wouldn't really be wrong to say that she had spent most of her life in this building of white.

When she first got news of her parents' death, she was absolutely miserable, depressed to the point where she had considered joining her parents. The only reason for her not doing that was because she had no idea how to, since she was so young she didn't know that she had to kill herself to go to heaven. After that, she just let it be. Life went on as usual, and she was still confined in the hospital because of how bad her condition was. The only difference was that no one would ever come see her again. Mom wasn't coming to the hospital to bring her little snacks and tidbits and warm hugs. Dad wasn't bringing her all sorts of little toys to cheer her up plus all those kisses where he would rub his moustache against her cheek playfully just to elicit squeals from his precious daughter. She was now by herself in this lonely world, and it would stay that way till the day she died, or so she thought.

Then a few years later, on that faithful day, she met Uzume, a lovely girl that had claimed to be a 'Sekirei'. After witnessing the loneliness in her eyes, Uzume had decided to be her company and had allowed herself to be 'winged' by her. She was taken completely by surprise when she was kissed on the lips, thereby forming a bond with the Sekirei. After noting the sole wing of white that had flashed out from Uzume's back, she couldn't help but ask what that was and what just happened. Uzume had simply laughed it off and told her that all it meant was that she now had her as a friend, and she would be doing her best to cheer her up on a regular basis, so that she would never have that look of melancholy ever again.

Her Sekirei had certainly lived up to her promise, for she would always be surprised when Uzume would just pop in with all sorts of different costumes, or different little things that she had picked up and would share them with her, teaching her to play with them, telling her about what she had experienced for the day, and generally just making sure she was happy. She had looked forward to it, and placed her sorrow behind her, choosing to look forward to the future.

She could feel Uzume's sadness through the bond, and had did her best to comfort her in return, doing whatever she could to ensure that her Sekirei wasn't affected by what was happening with her. She knew about the Sekirei Plan and had apologized profusely after knowing what the role of an Ashikabi was. She couldn't help but feel slightly angry at herself because she couldn't do anything to help out Uzume, who was probably the most precious person to her in this world. So she did the only thing she knew would make Uzume happy – She smiled a lot.

That was the only way to repay her Sekirei to ensure that her efforts were not in vain. No matter how much pain she might be in on the day when Uzume would pop in, no matter how tired she was from the side-effects of the medication she had taken, she would always tell herself to smile in the presence of Uzume. That was her promise to herself.

Her greatest wish had been to regain her ability to walk once more. It would seem that the virus had been affecting her nervous system all this while, especially around her spinal cord, meaning she simply couldn't walk as well anymore. Sure she could still move her legs and toes, but just not for the length of time a normal girl her age would. In fact, it was one-hundredth that. Uzume would always be the one to wheel her about, letting her enjoy some fresh air from outside, but today, she thought she should be bold and wheel herself outside.

After all, Uzume couldn't _always_ be there for her, and she really needed to learn how to take care of herself too, and so there she was, lying quietly on the lawn, enjoying the gentle breeze as she let the sunshine do its work.

It was such a peaceful day…

"AHHHHH!"

Her eyes flashed open from their silent slumber, her head turning around frantically, somewhat scared of the inhumane scream that came out of nowhere to disturb her lovely morning. What was going on? Surely it couldn't be a thug that was out to harm her! Uzume had warned her about those bad men that would try to assault girls like herself but she didn't think she would actually meet one!

Holding her arms up weakly in front of her chest, her chestnut eyes roamed all over the place, only to find other patients who were outside strolling just as surprised as she was. Noticing how they all seemed to be focused on the sky above her, she too, brought her gaze upwards, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Imagine her amazement when an actual _human_ landed just a few metres away from her, with tears running down his cheeks as though he had just suffered from some huge injustice. When those gray eyes of his turned towards her, she couldn't help but let off a small squeak, before she did her best to move towards him, asking him if he was alright in the process.

Before she could reach him however, she was sure that he heard him whisper something like 'really pretty' before he fainted on the spot. Not worrying about what he said, she quickly waved towards medical personnel who were already rushing to this place and explained to them what she had seen. It would be a while later when she was back inside the hospital, sitting in her wheelchair even as she wordlessly observed the young man lying on the bed.

He seemed to be of a slender build with messy black hair that scrambled roughly over his forehead. The blue jacket that he wore was now placed on a chair beside the bed, leaving him in his white undershirt and his pair of jeans. His face wasn't overly handsome in any case, just like those typical boy-next-door examples that Uzume had shown him in some magazines before, but there was just something about him that had her wondering.

Why did he look so peaceful and content? She had never seen herself or anyone else asleep before for that matter, Uzume had always been a bright bowl of sunshine whenever she dropped by to visit, so it was hard to tell if everyone looked so innocent when they slept or was it just his boyish face that gave her a small sense of comfort?

She didn't understand how she felt so intrigued by this young man who had just dropped from the sky, quite literally. She was normally quite the shy individual; it took Uzume quite a while before she had agreed to open up, yet with this boy…

_Oh well, I guess I'll just have to wait for him to wake up. He does look rather cute sleeping like that, hehe. _

**X – X**

To think that he would be stumbling upon Sekirei wherever he went, that was quite unexpected. Not being one to dwell on his 'awesomeness', Naruto had leapt straight into the air with Kuu on his shoulder, her tiny arms lightly circled around his neck just to secure herself. The slight attraction in energy he felt from the little girl was somewhat intriguing even as he pulled up more Sage chakra, as though the life force of nature was reacting to her. Though thinking about how she was able to cause plants to grow at such an alarming rate, it wouldn't be surprising if she could indeed control the energy of the Nature.

This strangely reminded him of the legendary Mokuton techniques that Konoha was so famed for. It was quite a pity that they were unable to find anyone even remotely compatible with learning that type of Jutsu before Tenzo had died, and hence that art was forever sealed within the jutsu chamber of the Hokage's office. It was to be expected really, the only descendant of the Shodai Hokage had been Tsunade, and considering how she did not have any children of her own, it was unfortunate for this art to be lost.

The closest anyone ever came to executing a Mokuton was Naruto, who cheated somewhat in his execution since he wasn't exactly using Mokuton, more like he was drawing on Natural Energy to forcefully speed up the growth of a certain plant. It was an extremely inefficient process because the best he could do was get a seedling to grow into a tree in a span of five minutes. Impressive yes, but the process was horrendous. He was left exhausted at the end of it. _Exhausted._

Uzumaki Naruto was _never_ exhausted. After that experimentation, he just gave up. The tree had indeed grown yes, but it didn't grow according to how he wanted it to. Meaning all Naruto had been doing was speeding up its life process and bringing it to a certain age faster than it should have been. The tree was fine and strong, but it was still just a normal tree. It wasn't like that awesome wooden house that Tenzo would always make whenever they needed to camp outside.

However, witnessing for himself how those plant vines about as thick as his body trying to ensnare him and do unthinkable plant things (whatever they were) to him, he decided that now might not be the best time to reminisce his pathetic attempts at Mokuton thousands of years ago.

"Wow…" The little girl on his shoulder sounded completely in awe, though Naruto couldn't really blame her. He had been told that Sekirei were kept in this laboratory until their adjustments were completed so it didn't surprise him much that the girl had stars in her eyes as she gazed at him in wonder.

It was perfectly normal for humans to leap ten feet into the air, backflip without losing momentum, and stick to the ceiling upside down without any use of spy tools. The fact that he was making silly faces at the little girl throughout only served to amuse the girl to no end. It was quite the known fact that Uzumaki Naruto loved kids, given how he had ordered for orphanages to be built all around the elemental nations. Using whatever connections he had in every single country, he got them to agree to putting just that much more effort into sponsoring an orphanage, ensuring that children that had lost their families for whatever reason, were able to have a second home for themselves.

When someone as famous as Uzumaki Naruto wanted to do something, it was done. One didn't say no to him unless they had a perfectly legitimate reason, and since in this case, Naruto was the one who was paying most of the fees from his sizeable income so there really was no reason for anyone else to complain. For the other Kage, it was just more paperwork, something they did grumble about but did it nonetheless.

Anyway, Naruto was currently toying with the plant vines as he weaved and laced around them, earning squeals of joy from the little Sekirei who felt that she was on one of those roller coaster rides she had seen on TV. Her emerald orbs lit up even as she subconsciously began trying to control those plant vines, wanting to them to give the blond more of a challenge.

Needless to say, Naruto welcomed it since it was somewhat like the kind of training he did back when he was a full-fledged shinobi, only instead of plants, he had fire dragons shot at him. They were all wavy, whipping thingies so it was kind of the same. The pair continued to fool around for some time before the little girl got tired and let out a soft yawn, which was the signal for Naruto to stop.

Shielding her eyes to ensure that she wasn't startled by his next actions, Naruto formed a silent one hand seal before letting loose a huge stream of flames, surging through the air as they engulfed all the additional plant life. The inferno shone a blinding white, eliminating the 'enemies' in one swoop before fading away to nothingness.

"Ehhhh?" Gaping owlishly at the room that was now more or less void of any plants at all, the little Sekirei puffed up her cheeks and pointed an accusing finger at him, "Muuuu!"

Grinning, Naruto gave a simple shrug and laughed, "What? I didn't do anything."

"Mu mu mu mu mu mu mu!" Seeing such a blatant denial, she in turn grabbed at his cheek and started making his skin malleable, or at least, as malleable as it could be.

"Ow! Hey, hey, easy now! Ow!" Realizing that he had no way of 'dumping' the little devil, he couldn't help but 'bow down' to her power, "Alright, alright, I did it! I did it!"

"Heh heh." The proud expression on her face as she puffed her chest out was adorable beyond belief, which led to Naruto nuzzling his bruised cheek into hers this time.

"Hehehehehe." The girl didn't seem to mind at all and even seem to bask in his actions as though she had earned them through hard work of some sort.

It didn't take long for the lively girl to point at him once more, this time her eyes filled with mirth.

Naruto understood her easily and gave a slight bow of his head, before asking in a gentle voice, "So, how shall I repay my princess the loss of her garden?"

"Kuu wants a new one!" Waving her arms around happily, she seemed to drift off to her 'happy place' where there would be lots of flowers, lots of trees and lots of – "

"Hm, nah, I don't think I can do that for you, my dear." His grin was a sly one even as he saw the girl did a three-sixty with her expression, tears threatening to fall if Naruto were to actually reject her awesome proposal.

"Why, I don't even know the name of my princess! How am I supposed to name the new one after her?" It was quite clear that he was just messing with the kid, what with his wagging eyebrows and that foxy smirk on his face.

"Mu! O-nii-chan, so mean!" Pouting in a cute manner, she lifted herself up towards his ears, and giggled, "Kuu is Kuu!"

"Well then, Kuu-chan, shall we be on our way?" _It's not like Takami will be back anytime soon, might as well spend some time out before she comes back. She's got my mobile anyway if she needs me._

"Hm!" Giving a huge nod of approval, the little Sekirei climbed up his back, before easing herself into a comfortable position that had her snuggling herself into his sun-kissed hair while her tiny legs rested on his shoulders.

_There was that botanical garden we walked by on our way here. I reckon that would be a good place to start with._

On their way out, some stupid professor began raving about how this particular Sekirei was not to be let out of the laboratories. Naruto _accidentally_ kneed him in the nuts, causing the lovely little girl to coo at him in an almost amorous manner before they continued on their way.

No one else stopped them from then on, which worked really well in Naruto's opinion. Good to see there were still men who much preferred to keep the use of their family jewels instead of choosing to do their jobs.

He pretended not to see the cheeky wave Kuu gave to everyone who was staring wide-eyed at them from behind.

**X – X**

It took him a while before he regained consciousness but let it be known that Sahashi Minato was actually a pretty tough guy, even if he didn't look it at all. Training or working out or whatever it was young people do nowadays to tone their bodies had nothing to do with it.

When you get whacked around all over the place by your mother and sister for the past eighteen years of your life, you would literally gain a resistance towards physical damage to your body. It wasn't like a special ability or something like that, it just allowed you to live on, quite like a cockroach, how they just wouldn't die no matter how many times you hit them. At least that was what her sister had so 'kindly' commented when he complained that she was physically abusing him years ago.

His mother was even worse. Her temper was completely irregular, going into devil mode without any warning. While it was understandable that he wasn't the most assertive of human beings, he still tried his best whenever he could, but most of the times, because of his nerves before any major event, he would always fall short, and not just by a bit. One could understand the frustration of Sahashi Takami at witnessing how her precious son was not accomplishing simply because he was afraid of some random thing that might not even happen during the course of doing the accomplishment! Her feelings were complicated, to say the least.

It was nice and all to know that your son could do it. It was another thing to _show off_ to other mums and dads and idiots that were completely beneath her in terms of IQ, style, beauty and another hundred different things that _her_ son was better than their no good, useless, moronic lumps of blubber! How was one supposed to feel superior unless he or she was able to prove it to other people?! There was this thing called pride that she had damn it!

Minato of course, as innocent as he was all throughout his life, was really unable to understand the pain his mother felt whenever she scolded him. He could get it somewhat, but just not to the extreme extent her mother was aiming for. He understood there was a reason why girls at his school would simply treat him as the 'nice guy' and would never even consider him as 'cool' or 'charming' or whatever other fan qualities they chatted about.

And he was fine with that, honestly, as fake as that sounded, he was totally fine with that. Since he was young, he had never really fared well when placed in the spotlight, and if there was no pressure on him at all, he was probably the smartest kid there ever was. The DNA just doesn't lie!

So over the years, he suffered his share of 'mishap', be it physical or mental (or both at the same time), he had pulled through and got to where he was now. He was quite disappointed with himself as well for failing the entrance exams twice in a row now, and really had no idea how he was going to face his mother and sister. Yukari was apparently aiming for Tokyo University as well and if she were to get in before him, he just knew that they would never let him live it down. It wasn't as if he weren't trying, it was just an uncontrollable factor within him that always popped up at the worst possible times!

Not to mention he wasn't exactly the luckiest of guys. He would be going about, minding his own business and trouble would always find him _somehow_. What were the chances that after helping four different individuals in four different areas of the city, he suddenly sneezed in the face of the _worst_ person possible? Why couldn't he have sneezed a second earlier or a second later? That way he might have avoided this painful situation once and for all!

As he slowly adjusted to his surroundings (the white all around him was quite blinding to the eye actually), he felt a dull sting at the back of his head, plus an ache all over his body, a memoir of him falling flat on the ground after being flung into the sky.

Squinting a bit, he began looking around the room he was in with a wince on his face. Well, guess he did have some luck after all. What were the chances that he was flung right into a hospital?

_Although it would have been luckier not to be thrown at all…_

It was quite pathetic how he was still trying to find comfort in some sort of coincidence that probably didn't exist but oh well, what could he do? Shaking his head, he then spotted a teenage girl seated in a wheelchair, her eyes closed in a peaceful slumber. She looked to be somewhat younger than him, and judging from her pale skin, she must have been held indoors for quite some time.

_Why is she in a wheelchair? Does she have a physical handicap? Wait, she looks kinda familiar…_

Unable to resist the urge at trying to find out more about this 'mysterious' guest of his, he leaned forward towards her, his eyes scrutinizing her lithe figure even as he tried to remember just where he had seen her before. That long chestnut hair definitely hinted at something in the back of his mind, but because of the pain, he couldn't quite grasp what it was.

It was in that moment where the girl had felt the rustling of bed sheets and started to wake up. It was quite obvious she was a light sleeper, though Minato seemed to overlook that fact, his curiosity getting the better of him. Imagine both their surprises when the girl's eyes opened sleepily, twin hazel staring into ashen pupils, neither of their gazes waiving until deep red blushes crept up both their cheeks, causing them to scramble rather frantically away from one another, the embarrassment too much for them to bear.

There was just one slight problem. Minato could easily move away, since he was on the bed. The girl however, wasn't so lucky and had unbalanced her wheelchair, which meant that she was going to fall. However, with astonishing speed, even to Minato himself, he was somehow able to reach out, stabilize the contraption before it was about to topple over and quickly looked over to see if she was hurt or not.

Which of course, led to them staring at each other once more.

_W-why is he looking at me like that…?_

_She's really pretty when she blushes… wait! What am I thinking?! She's probably just embarrassed from me staring at her like a fool!_

Like a fool indeed.

"A-ano…" The girl ventured shyly, her head tilted to the side so she didn't have to face the young man before her, "A-are you alright?"

"Eh?" It took him a while to realize that yes, he was the injured one, and yes, he should be feeling pain for the pain receptors to start working again after being shut down because the brain decided that admiring the beauty of the girl in front of him was more important, "A-a-ah! Yeah! I'm alright now."

It was a pretty bad lie, because if she had seen the wince that crossed his face after that exclamation, she would have thought otherwise, but as it was, she didn't see it, so it was all good, at least for Minato it was. Although that begets the question as to why he cared about her seeing him in pain.

"I-I'm glad." Her voice was melodious and soothing, easing the pain he felt in his head quite a bit even as he listened to her words, "I was quite scared when you just landed next to me out of nowhere."

"Huh?" _Landed next to her…? Oh! _"No wonder I thought you were familiar! You were that pretty girl that – " He tried to catch himself in time but failed quite miserably (or maybe succeeded) as the girl was now sporting an even heavier blush now.

"I-I didn't mean that you were… I mean I did mean you… gah! I … I …" Stuttering and sputtering his way through his explanation, his arms making silly motions as though trying to emphasize his point, Minato was desperately trying to convince the girl that he did and did not mean whatever he just said.

Noticing his clear distress, the girl couldn't help giggle somewhat, before replying, "Don't worry. I…" Biting her lips softly, she blushed once more, "I know what you mean."

"Y-you do?!" His eyes lit up even as he surged forth once more, startling her by taking her hands into his, "Thank you! Thank you so much! Ah, wait! I should be thanking you for saving my life too! Thank you!"

He was unfortunately interrupted by a loud slam of the door, which instantly directed his gaze towards the entrance of the room, only to find a fuming teenage girl with black hair tied back in a ponytail growling at him, "That's as far as you go, you pervert! Unhand my dear Chiho this instant!"

Before he could even understand what she was talking about, the 'intruder' had already rushed to their side, unhinged their hands in one quick motion and separated the two without much hassle. It took him some time but when he realized that he was just referred to as a 'pervert', he couldn't help but be somewhat shocked.

"W-what do you mean I'm a pervert?! I was just trying to thank her for saving me!"

"No you weren't! You were trying to feel for yourself how soft and smooth her hands were!"

"No no no no no no! I wasn't! Honest!"

"Then why is my dear Chiho blushing, huh?!"

"Eh…?" Blinking, he turned his head towards the girl in the wheelchair, only to see her trying desperately to hide her red face from view.

"Admit it! You hentai!"

"W-what?! N-no! Let me explain!"

"Hmph! Let's go Chiho! We need to get your chastity safe from this monster!" Without even looking back, she began wheeling her out of the room, leaving a flabbergasted Minato behind. The girl had peeked one last look at him before trying to explain to her overprotective Sekirei that it wasn't like that but of course, given her meek nature, it fell on deaf ears.

Minato could only stay frozen on his spot even as he tried to think of multiple ways to try and make her stay so that he could thank her formally once more.

_Sigh… Well, at least I got her name I guess. Hm, I think that woman said 'Chiho'… What a nice name…_

Before he could drift further into his happy place however, a _very_ familiar voice echoed through the room, "Sa-ha-shi Mi-na-to!"

"Hiiiiii!" Letting off a startled squeak, the poor boy came face to face with his oh so loveable mother.

"What is this I hear about you sexually harassing female patients here, hm?" Her eyes were narrowed even as she began cracking her knuckles, "Care to explain that to me in great detail?"

"Wait! No! That was just a misunderstanding! I was only – "

"Did you by any chance get your results for your entrance exam, dear?" She was about to administer the hurt. It was quite clear from her sarcastic tone.

"I er…" Minato was sweating bullets at this point, trying to think of anything to save him from mortal peril.

"A man shouldn't even be looking for excuses! Now, prepare to die!"

"EHHHHH?!"

_I should have known that luck was against me from the start. Why me?!_

Unearthly screams permeated from the room for the next hour or so, causing the nurses and doctors to shy away ever so slightly from that direction. It wasn't because they were afraid or anything, no, no, they just wanted to give them some privacy as they sort out their own family matters.

**X – X **

"Mo! Uzume-chan, it's not like that!" Poor Chiho was still trying her best to not act flustered as she tried her best to force her Sekirei to believe her words. That pout of hers usually worked on Uzume but for some reason, she was really stubborn today.

"Hmph! That perverted monkey is ten thousand years too young to even get near your essence of awesomeness! How dare he defile my precious Ashikabi like that?! I'm gonna – "

"Uzume-chan!"

"But Chiho ~" The whine in her voice was pretty clear. She _really_ wanted to take some form of action against that teenager, especially around the lower region of his body.

"No! I can tell he was just really grateful."

"And how would you know that hm?"

"Well…" Tilting her head, she couldn't help but blush slightly once more even as she quietly mumbled, "H-he was staring r-right at me, I could tell from his eyes that he was just being really polite."

Silence continued for a while, before Uzume began wailing, "I don't believe this! I'm late for just a few minutes and I find you already mellow-mellow with some brat that just fell from the sky! Don't tell me you actually find him cute or anything like that! Oh my gawd, you do, don't you?!"

The blush only deepened at her Sekirei's 'accusations' and she couldn't help but hide her face in her palms, shaking her head furiously, "W-what are you talking about?"

"I can't believe my _Ashikabi_ is falling for someone else. This is just ridiculous. Was this what bro meant about being winged by the same sex?"

Normally, it would have taken longer to convince Uzume that nothing was happening between her and that kind, young man but before she could do her pitch, a loud inhumane scream of pain reverberated through the corridors. It sounded as if it came from the direction they just came from.

Uzume stopped temporarily for a few seconds before she turned her head around suspiciously, "Karma already?"

"Uzume-chan!"

**X – X **

It actually took them quite a while to reach the botanical garden Naruto was thinking of. Since Naruto was travelling on foot like normal humans did instead of leaping off rooftops, they had quite an enjoyable time together along the way. Although Kuu did end up getting restless after the first fifteen minutes and began chewing on his head to get him to hurry up. He wasn't sure why she kept snuggling herself into his hair, but she seemed content doing that so it was alright.

He chatted to her about anything he could think of and mainly listened to her as she gave him the 'cute' version of her life so far. Naruto was still able to get the gist of it despite her describing people in extremely childish terms. One could easily tell how happy she was being outside given her absolutely exuberant aura, and the fact that she kept making squealing noises whenever she came upon something she saw on the TV. Naruto had actually sighed quite a bit, but then decided to let the matter go.

There was no way for him to change her past anyway and he did understand why MBI wanted to keep the Sekirei in the laboratories until they were sure they had adjusted them properly. Even so, it was quite unfair to keep someone as cute and loveable as Kuu locked up whereas Sekirei like those two from the East roam about freely. While Kuu wasn't exactly harmless in areas with greenery, she was still just a kid. What harm could there possibly be in letting the poor kid have some fun?

It was quite annoying for Naruto to witness firsthand how experimental subjects were treated. He had seen his fair share of what Orochimaru's looked like after he was done with them and to say he had seen it all would be quite the understatement. There were things that people in this world shall never know about because he had destroyed them all in a fit of rage. Compared to those monsters, Kuu was like an angel.

The little girl face lit up in bliss as she saw the fields of flowers that lay before her. It was like a dream come true for her to see plants grow in natural conditions and not in advanced greenhouses. The experience was extremely enjoyable for her, seeing how she would prance and scamper all over the place, rolling over and over as she held those flowers to her nose, lightly sniffing them to see if they smelt just like she thought they would.

They spent most of the afternoon relaxing, well, Naruto did. Kuu continued her short 'adventures' around the fields, pretending to role play as a secret princess or even a ninja at times. It was extremely amusing for her to hide in different corners, slowly creeping towards Naruto who had his eyes closed, only to be foiled every single time as she tried to get the jump on him.

Like Sakura used to say, _Please, playing ninja with a real ninja? Seriously? _

Nevertheless, it was still a huge amount of fun for the both of them. There was just something satisfying in watching the little Sekirei with that big smile on her face. It kinda reminded him about his own kids and how they grew up, and of course, that brought him back for another loop of memories. The sun was slowly setting by the time Kuu got tired, a warm shade of orange covering the entire garden even as Naruto slowly moved towards the exit with the little Sekirei yawning as she plopped herself on top of his head once more.

It would have been a brilliant end to the day, where he would somehow ignore the fact that Takami had not called him _at all_ throughout the hours he spent with Kuu and decide to bring the cute blonde back to Izumo Inn with him so he could spoil her more.

But alas, it was not to be, for several figures surrounded the duo even as Naruto made his way out of the field, their stances hostile and aggressive.

Naruto would eye the individual that stood before him with a raised eyebrow, before letting off a sigh of annoyance, "And I was so hoping to go home early today."

**X – X **

Uzume was not happy. Not in the least.

It wasn't Chiho's fault, not really…

Okay, maybe somewhat her fault.

How could a Sekirei _not_ get jealous that her Ashikabi was being intimate with another _human_?!

Granted there really wasn't much intimacy involved other than holding hands but that was already like what, step four in the dating process! Her precious Ashikabi, who was supposed to be extremely shy, had completely skipped the previous steps of getting to know the guy and had _liked_ getting her hands held!

She had chosen to ignore the fact that Chiho had been completely passive in that entire sequence because really, the blush on her face was proof that she quite enjoyed it. If it had been an ugly fart that was holding her hands and drooling all over her nice, pale skin, would she still blush like that? Would she?!

No! Of course not! Which meant that she _liked_ the boy! How could she?! That boy was weak, thin, pathetic, perverted –

Quite a long list of bad qualities went through her head, mixed in with a couple of curses here and there, before she finally decided that whoever that guy was, he was bad news.

She knew she was just throwing a tantrum for no reason whatsoever, but it still felt weird to see the girl you pledged your entire future to act so… so… so _enamored _by another _guy_.

The worst bit was, the guy didn't even do anything! He wasn't even _trying_ to be charming! Scratch that, he _wasn't_ charming! He was like a regular pile of faeces along the side of the road! He was that insignificant!

Back in a certain room in Hiyamakai Hospital, Sahashi Minato felt a strong urge to just break down in tears and go draw circles in a dark corner of the room. He obviously couldn't do that because his mother was still there, lecturing him on the importance of correcting one's uselessness in life. That simply made him want to cry more.

In some ways, Uzume realized that it was probably what Naruto had said earlier on in the day that bothered her the most.

"_I didn't you swung that way." _

"_Although it is better to be winged by someone of the opposite sex, I guess you have your reasons." _

"_She must be a very special person to you."_

Deep down inside, Uzume knew she was happy for Chiho. She was glad that her Ashikabi had finally found someone who had initiated contact with her. Chiho never really made any friends around her age because she was just constantly in the hospital. The good thing was that she was very smart and had completed courses by herself while she lay in the bed. It was kind of like home school, though in this case, more hospital school than anything.

When she had left, Chiho had insisted that she go and apologize to that young man for the trouble she must have caused him. It was quite clear that her Ashikabi was still concerned about that cry of despair that she had heard when they were walking away from that room.

If there was one quality that stood out in her Ashikabi, it would be how kind she was. Chiho was probably the nicest person anyone would ever meet. She would pay close attention to anything that you said, and respond in a way that made you feel as though you had just said something important. She just had many ways to make you feel a lot better even when she would be feeling down.

Uzume knew how much pain she was in every day; she could feel it through their bond. Even then, after witnessing for herself all the efforts her Ashikabi had put into smiling every time she went to visit her was enough to move her to tears. They were very similar in many ways, both not wanting the other to worry about their own troubles, both doing their best to cheer the other up, both really willing to give their all for the other. Maybe the reason she was throwing a tantrum was because she felt left out.

Chiho had finally met someone else who would treat like a normal girl and not just another cripple in a wheelchair. Uzume, on the other hand, could not guarantee that her friends would still look at her the same way once they found out about what she had been doing.

She hadn't received a call from _him_ lately, so that was a good sign, but she knew it wouldn't last too long. Chiho's hospital fees were overdue once again, and for her to continue receiving medical treatment, Uzume was sure that they would begin requesting her to carry out those sorts of missions once more.

It was quite sad that she really didn't have a choice. The wellbeing of her Ashikabi rose above all else, and as much as she hated doing it, she was resigned to the fact that she must fulfill it.

Feeling a headache coming on from just thinking of what might soon happen, Uzume took out her mobile and dialed a number, before whispering softly into it, "Nee-san, are you free at the moment? Wanna go grab a drink or two together?"

**X – X**

"Hand over that pipsqueak, _human_." The girl dressed in a black gown with matching gloves and stockings demanded in an arrogant tone as she glared at Naruto in a condescending manner.

"That's right, that's right! We need to take her to Mikogami-sama!" This one wore a black chinese dress with a yellow stripe down the centre. Her long blonde hair swished around as she waved energetically to emphasize her point.

"We might even leave you alive if you cooperate." The final one held much resemblance to previous one, what with the long blond hair and the black stockings plus the design of the dress. The only real difference was that hers was a western styled dress.

Naruto stared at the trio with a blank expression, his mind drifting back to a day ago when the Lightning twins were in sort of a similar situation. What really irritated him was that this time, they were actually going to target someone this _young_.

"Hey! We're talking to you!" Curling a strand of brown hair behind her ears, she brandished her weapon before scowling at an unmoving Naruto, "Give us No. 108 and _stand down_!"

_No. 108? Ah, so that's Kuu's number…_

Tilting his head, he continued his scrutiny of the three, his expression one of intensity, as though he was trying to figure out why these monkeys were let out of the zoo. Naturally, the opposing three got pretty pissed off.

"Why you!" Both blondes growled as they retracted their respective weapons and got ready to charge, "Don't say we didn't warn you!"

"Shouldn't you guys be announcing your numbers or whatever before you attack?" Not really in the mood to fight in the place where Kuu just had so much fun, Naruto decided to just play it out. Besides, the little Sekirei was currently snoozing on top of his head and he really didn't want to wake her up for something so stupid.

_Le sigh… why do I always attract trouble wherever I go? _

Shaking his head, he was about to get himself ready for whatever it was these Sekirei were going to throw at him, before he was startled by a few other voices that suddenly rang out in his head.

_Naruto-sama? Is something wrong?_

"What the?" Blinking, he raised an eyebrow as he focused on the voices, ignoring whatever it was the three Sekirei were blabbering about.

_Oi! Where did you go?! We've been looking all over for you!_

"Is that… Hikari?"

_Sis, we've only been looking for the past five minutes, you exaggerate too much._

"Hibiki?" He was genuinely surprised now. Naruto knew there was a bond between him and his Sekirei and that in some circumstances, he could feel their emotions just as well as they could his, but he never though that they would have the ability to chat with him. Telepathy was really pretty damn useful sometimes during his time as a Shinobi because it was literally him and Kurama against the world. There was just something really satisfying with chatting to your partner even as you obliterate them.

And now, considering how he had three Sekirei, the situation felt like it was four on three. He left out Kuu from the equation because he really didn't want her to fight. Although he knew she could, to a certain extent, he didn't want her to. There was an innocence within her that he wanted to preserve, and beheading her own kind in front of her was not really the right way to go about doing that.

_Can you guys actually hear me?_ He had tried asking back, his body currently on autopilot as he dodged the attack launched at him by what would be No. 43, or so she said before she tried to take him with her scythe. He really wasn't paying her much attention and all, and needless to say, that pissed her off.

_Of course we can hear you! Where are you? _

_We had our check-ups done and heard that the Head Researcher had left earlier and every other person had this look of fear on their faces when we mentioned you._

Sweatdropping slightly as he remembered the exact reason why they might be scared of him, Naruto tried to dodge the subject.

_Err… let's leave that for now. Can you guys sense my location at all? I mean if we have a bond, surely that shouldn't be too hard?_

The voices stayed silent for a few seconds this time as Naruto deftly leapt up to avoid the strikes from No. 38. The way she used a whip showed that she had some experience with it, but it didn't really bother Naruto too much seeing how he had faced more than his share of people with that particular choice of weapon.

There was quite a surprising proportion of Shinobi in the interrogation department that chose to use whips, especially the kunoichi. It wasn't just so that they knew how to torture enemy spies when they needed to, it was just a weapon that was easy to hide on one's body, easy to brandish without much preparation and was an all-purpose tool when situations call for it.

Whips could extend and curve at the will of its user, especially with the help of chakra, not to mention elemental chakra. It could be used from a distance to catch up on lower ranking shinobi, taking them by surprise with a single strangle hold. It could be used as a rope in emergency situations, and when chakra was applied through it, it could be strengthened to the point where it becomes stiff and could be used as a blade even.

"Hey! How come you keep dodging my attacks?"

However, from the looks of things, this Sekirei in front of him, Mitsuha or whatever her name was, wasn't really fulfilling the full potential of the weapon. One really couldn't blame her. It wasn't like they were at war in this city and had been trained since an early age to wield all weapons there were. They were probably born with a certain amount of knowledge of what weapon would suit them and how they got better at it would depend on themselves. Naruto doubted there would be a lot of people proficient in these types of weapons nowadays since they had guns and bullets.

"Hm… Mitsuha, we'll double team him together."

Whilst Naruto was waiting for his Sekirei to reply, the third Sekirei joined in as well, announcing herself as No. 39 Mitsuki. Her choice of weapon, just like her appearance, was quite similar to that of her sibling No. 38. Hers was a series of strings that would act like mini-whips sometimes, mainly used for trying to constrict her opponent, or so it would seem. Naruto continued on his merry way, dodging, weaving and evading all the attacks the three sent at him.

Compared to what Karasuba had tried on him last time, these three felt like a joke. If he didn't have Kuu on top of his head, there would have been blood shed by now, but as it was, it was getting a bit dry. He really had no need to fight with three girls on orders of their even younger Ashikabi just because they wanted to rob him of something.

"Grr! Stay still and let me cut you!" No. 43 Yomi really wasn't in the best of moods.

Stifling a yawn, the blond was about to move once more when suddenly, a familiar voice rang out in the area as a figure slowly began to descend from the air.

"Na-ru-to-saaaaaaaaaaan!"

Feeling a twitch on his eyebrow, the blond resisted the urge to execute a facepalm, "Seriously?"

Yomi of course, took advantage of his temporary pause and lashed out at him instantly, "Ha! Gotcha!"

However, things were not to be as the fair-skinned girl in a pink and white miko outfit landed right in front of Naruto, stopping the blade from reaching its intended target by clapping both her palms around it, forcing it into a deadlock.

"W-what?! Who, who the hell are you?!" No. 43 was not used to having enemies just come falling from the sky.

"Moooo! It's dangerous swinging this huge weapon around! Yah!" Without even replying to the question, the Fist Sekirei instead decided to snap the blade of the scythe into two, much to the surprise of not just the three enemy Sekirei, but Naruto as well.

An awkward silence ensued, before Yomi finally snapped out of her daze as she held her precious weapon in her arms, "H-how d-dare you just break my beloved Death Scythe like this?! It's unforgivable!"

"Naruto-san! Are you alright?" Her smile was so bright and pure, completely ignorant of the fact that she had just pissed Yomi off.

"Er yeah… Musubi-chan, can I just ask you one question?" Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Naruto tried to regain his bearings at the recent change of events.

"Of course you can!"

"How did you find me?" It was really quite embarrassing that his own Sekirei who had bonds were unable to locate him but Musubi, who _still _wasn't winged by him, was able to find him first.

"I just followed Naruto-san's smell!" She even gave him what suspiciously looked like Gai's thumbs-up signature pose.

It took the blond several seconds to react in an extremely dumb manner, "I… I smell?"

"Hm!" An affirmative nod was given.

Naruto didn't know whether to ask just what type of 'smell' he gave off or how she managed to still 'smell' him.

"It's a very, very, _very_ sweet smell!" _Why is she so happy?_

Maybe this was what it meant to be alluded to the smell of honey attracting a bear?

_Hahaha, nah. Surely it can't be something as simple as that. There must be some special ability for Sekirei to do that._

If he had known he was actually quite close to the truth, he would have done a perfect face-fault.

"Naruto-san!" Her sharp exclamation shook him out of his reverie, causing his cerulean eyes to focus on her once more.

"Er… yes?"

"I'll protect Naruto-san from them! Please escape with that little girl!" Clenching her fist in front of her, she got into a pose that seemed to say 'I'm really strong' before she turned around and faced Yomi who looked as if she was about to rip someone's head off.

_Wow, did you just get protected by a girl?_

_Iyaaa, so embarrassing! _

Feeling a headache come on once more, Naruto decided to let Musubi deal with the crazed No. 43 who had somehow begun creating blades of wind from her broken scythe, effectively adding area-effect attacks to her repertoire. Musubi was doing an average job evading due to her need to engage in close combat, which of course, ended up in her clothing being more than just a bit tattered.

_Pervert. Stop staring at her boobs!_

_That's right, Sis has bigger ones, you should look at hers!_

_W-what?! N-no! That's not what I meant! _

"And just _why_ do you guys feel that now would be a good time to butt in?"

_Naruto-sama, we still can't sense you._

Slapping a palm onto his face, he slowly dragged it down to his chin, before he resumed a thinking pose. It was quite interesting how Kuu remained asleep throughout all the din. Her little hands clutched onto his golden locks tightly, securing her in place even as she murmured something about 'O-nii-chan' as she snuggled further into the soft 'nest' she was currently in.

"I don't know how I should feel about this. My own Sekirei can't sense me but Musubi-chan could somehow smell me from miles away. Guys, tell me the truth, do I smell?" He couldn't help it. He _must_ know the answer!

_Er, no? What's wrong with you?_

_Kun, kun, nope, not from here._

_No, Naruto-sama._

"Hibiki-chan, sniffing from there really won't work you know."

_But I thought No. 88 did it from where we were. _

"That… is a good point." Turning his head back to the combat between Musubi and Yomi, he frowned slightly when he realized that the Fist Sekirei was actually on the losing end. It was quite obvious why that was as well. No. 43 was in complete berserker mode after having her scythe broken right in front of her, and decided to just destroy everything around her to execute her revenge on Musubi. Needless to say, wind blades weren't that much fun to deal with, especially when she had to use one hand to hide her 'assets' to retain some form of modesty.

"Dang, she's like half naked."

_Huh? Oi! Stop perving on other Sekirei!_

_Sis, don't worry, he'll perv on you plenty when we get back._

_Like I said, that's not what I meant!_

It really was quite nostalgic with the way the voices just argued with each other in his head. He remembered all those times when he would just have internal conversations whilst he multi-tasked with things in the external world. Sakura had always called him insane for being able to do that.

He didn't disagree with her because he reckoned he wasn't that right in the head anyway. To be fair, which Jinchuuriki was? Talking to oneself was not the way to prove one's non-insanity.

_Naruto-sama, why not try releasing your energy? We might be able to pinpoint your location that way._

"Well, yes, but you'll pretty much give off my location to everyone else too. There is a certain someone that I'm kinda hiding from."

**X – X **

"Puha!" Downing yet another cup of Sake, a certain busty Sekirei dressed in a violet chinese dress couldn't help but complain to her occasional drinking partner about a certain perverted blond that she had met a while ago.

"Wow, Nee-san, the guy must have some balls to try to grope you." Beside her sat an equally intoxicated Uzume, who had for the past hour or so been crying to Kazehana about how her Sekirei was leaving her for a boy instead. That had of course, gotten the Wind Sekirei to gush about how 'true love' would eventually be obtained.

"Ha!" Gulping down more alcohol, her blush on her cheeks grew even redder as she tried to continue the conversation without hiccupping, "That guy _hic_, is a complete _hic,_ ASSHOLE!" The last bit was done with an exclamation as she was quite annoyed in finding that her Sake bottle was now empty. "How dare he just leave me hanging like that?! _Hic!_"

Slamming it down onto the counter, she demanded for more as she yelled in a drunken fashion, "If I _hic_ EVER _hic_ find him… I will cast – _hic_," Shaking her head as she tried to figure out what she was going to say, "Cas… castr… what's that word again?"

"It's 'castrate', man, Nee-san, just how much alcohol have you drunk before I got here?"

"That's right! Cas – _hic _castrate! I will _castrate_ him! _Hic!_"

Placing a hand under her chin as she too drank more Sake, Uzume couldn't help but shake her head. Her mind was getting quite fuzzy as well since she had been drinking non-stop with Kazehana. Somehow, there was just this feeling that the blond they were talking about should be someone she was familiar with. Someone that she knew seemed to fit the bill quite nicely, but she just couldn't remember who it was.

"How dare he try and molest me! _Hic!_" Staring down at her incredible bust, Kazehana placed her own hands onto them, "These are my _Hic!_ My babies! _Hic!_ Since he likes them so much _Hic!_ I will smother him to death with these! Mwahahaha! _Hic!_"

"That's the spirit Nee-san! And I – " It took her a few seconds to find where her own sizeable breasts were, before she too exclaimed, "I will help you too!"

"Yes! _Hic!_ I know I can count on you! Let's drink to our success! _Hic!_"

"Kanpai! _(Cheers!)_"

**X – X **

Back the botanical garden, Naruto wasn't sure what to make of his sudden feeling of delight and exasperation.

"I kinda look forward to meeting her to see what she would be doing to me, but I'm not so sure I'd survive it, no matter how much pleasure it might give me." As usual, Uzumaki Naruto was very accurate in his assumptions.

_Naruto-sama?_

"Urgh, sorry, was thinking about some stuff." Shaking his head, he focused back onto the fight between Musubi and Yomi. He was quite surprised when the other two Sekirei simply stood there and watched, as though they knew Yomi would win without fail.

Though there was some truth to their belief, since Musubi was now down to her panties only. It was a very alluring sight to behold. Every time she had to evade an attack, those 97Fs would bounce up and down, and of course, so would Naruto's head. Given how he was afraid that he would wake Kuu up with the way his head was moving, he had made a clone secretly and placed the sleeping Sekirei onto that head instead.

_Do you need our help or what?_

"Er… wha? Oh! Right, right. Yeah, it would be better if you guys came eh?" His eyes were still locked on to Musubi's assets and hence, he was just answering things without really paying attention to what he was saying. It really wasn't his fault that he was being such a pervert. He was a man! Would a man look away when there was firm, fresh breasts for him to stare at free of charge without any repercussions at all?!

One would be mad to turn down such an offer! Especially when they were such fine breasts!

_Then release that energy of yours! We can't find you otherwise! _

"Huh? Yeah, sure, why not?" He had completely forgotten by now that he didn't want to reveal his location to a certain Wind Sekirei and hence without further ado, familiar ripples appeared in his eyes as his entire life force erupted into the clearing.

Back when he first met Kuu, he found out that his energy didn't seem to affect the little Sekirei, seeing how she controlled plants using life force, meaning Kuu didn't react to him the way the Lightning Twins did. That somewhat countered Naruto's theory that his chakra was too potent for Sekirei to _not_ react to him, and hence he now felt much more comfortable activating Sage mode if he needed to. It really was why he didn't want to release his energy in front of Musubi before, because he didn't want to confuse the poor girl into be winged by someone who might not be her 'fated' one.

It was him being selfless once again. He just couldn't seem to think for himself sometimes.

But right now, there was no doubt in his mind that he had done the right thing. The moment he had released his lock on his Natural Energy, a huge shockwave spread out from the epicenter, blasting a confused Yomi away from Musubi to prevent her from pulling off what would have been the killing blow.

The Fist Sekirei's eyes were glazed over, her breathing rate was enhanced and her entire body flushed a hot scarlet even as she slowly made her way towards him.

Naruto felt quite guilty the moment he saw those tears beginning to build up in her lovely hazel eyes, "Sorry to make you wait Musubi-chan. I just – "

"Shhh." Placing her forefinger gently against his lips, Musubi gradually leaned into his embrace, resting her head against his chest with a content smile on her face, "Musubi doesn't mind… Musubi just wants to enjoy the moment."

The enemy Sekirei were seen trying to force their way to them but were finding it very difficult to cut through the invisible wall of energy that seemed to have formed before them.

"Musubi had hoped all along that Naruto-san would be the one." Her tears were trickling down her face, her hands reaching up as they lightly cupped Naruto's cheeks, "Musubi was so afraid that she would never be able to love Naruto-san because she didn't feel anything from him." Leaning forward until their lips were but a centimeter away, the brunette continued, "But now, Musubi doesn't care anymore. Naruto-san has shown love, care and affection, more so than anyone else Musubi has ever come into contact with. Musubi wasn't wrong…"

Cerulean met amber as she whispered tenderly, "Wing me, my Ashikabi-sama."

Seeing for himself the emotions that resided within those lovely eyes, Naruto realized just how much pain he had actually put the Sekirei through by delaying her winging process. He had felt all this time that Musubi really liked him, and if he were to be really honest with himself, he really liked Musubi too. Would it be too soon for him to say that he loved her? Maybe.

But even so, all he had to do at the end of the day was just ask himself one simple question.

How would he feel if Musubi were to run up to him one day and told him that she was going to be winged by someone else and hence would have to leave him?

The instant response was a deep sense of sorrow and disgust. Sad that she would be leaving him, disgust at someone sinking their paws into her. He just couldn't bear to think of someone else kissing the woman in front of him.

In that split moment, his eyes flowed a wild crimson, a close resemblance to his old JInchuuriki days as he growled in a feral manner against her lips, "You are mine, Musubi! _Mine!_"

Without another second's hesitation, he captured her lips roughly and claimed her as his own. He could feel already the emotions of joy, happiness and relief rushing through his entire body, showering them both with bliss as they formed that specific bond to all those Sekirei that had been winged.

It was absolutely breathtaking, the way she tasted, the way she moaned as he deepened the kiss and those cute little mews she let off as he began wrestling control with her tongue. His hands tightened their grip around her waist, pulling her as close to him as possible, wanting for her to meld herself into him almost.

Shiny wings of pink exploded from her back, with the Sekirei crest glowing brightly before it settled down on its spot on the back of her neck. For Musubi, she now felt complete, her energy balance reaching its optimum ratio, and the love she felt coming from her Ashikabi all but overwhelmed her.

She had known all along that her Ashikabi would be one that loved her with all his heart, but even this was beyond her expectations. Naruto cherished her in a way no one ever had, his entire soul seemed to be captivated by her presence, as though she was the most important person in his life at this particular moment. The way his eyes roamed over her face as he framed them, drawing her into repeated kisses as she felt for herself just how enamored he was with her, just how much he worshipped her and how much he lusted for her.

Her face lit up as scarlet blushes made their way to her cheeks. Never before had she felt so wanted, so admired and so desirable. Musubi felt as if Naruto had placed her on a pedestal, treating her like his goddess, raining her with love that she had so often longed for in her search for her fated Ashikabi. This was a dream come true for her, who had been dreaming for the past few days, hoping against hope that Naruto would be her Ashikabi and now that she was finally winged by the one individual she wanted above else, a quiet sense of relief and solace filled her entire being.

Her eyes were completely glazed over when they finally disengaged from their deep kiss, with traces of saliva still visible between them. Their breaths were still rough from their short 'scuffle', as they simply stared quietly at each other. Surprisingly, it was Musubi who took initiative as she leaned in once more, standing on tiptoes as she enjoyed the way his arms fit so perfectly around her torso.

"_Naruto-san… I'm so happy right now."_

"_I know. It's taken us quite a while, hasn't it? Do you blame me?"_

"_No. I can feel for myself the love you have for me. For this to actually happen, this is really the happiest day of my life."_

"_Musubi-chan… I wonder why it took me this long to realize just how important you actually are to me." _

"_Hehe, Naruto-san likes to think too much, that's why." _

"_Tsk, tsk, already trying to bully me eh? Looks like I need to show you who's the boss around here."_

"_Ah! Mo, Naruto-san, ecchi." _

"_You really can't blame me. I really don't understand why it took me this long to get my hands on you. Seriously, what is wrong with me." _

"_But they're still here…"_

"_We can just ignore them. We might even get them to pay for the show."_

"_Mo! It's not good to be so perverted, Naruto-san! What happened to your youth?"_

"_Pft! Youth is overrated!"_

"_Oh Naruto-san… I love you." _

"_As do I, Musubi-chan. You're mine now, forever and ever." _

"_Hai… Ikuhisashiku." _

**X – X **

**Uzumaki Naruto – North Sector, Izumo Inn,**** CEO**** of Trinity Inc, now Ashikabi of No. 7, 1****1, 12 and 88****.**

**Database update complete, system returning to hibernation in 3… 2… 1… All systems shut down.**

* * *

_**And cut. Not a bad place to end. I was going to add more Kazehana and what she would do once she felt Naruto's energy but I decided to leave it for next chapter. More interactions between Chiho and Minato will also be carried out, so hold your horses till then eh? It's gonna be a gradual build up, none of that instant love-love moments like Sekirei. They're both humans after all.**_

_**By the way, if any of you were wondering, no they will not just teleport to another dimension and start making love. They're still in the botanical garden. Naruto doesn't have to consummate the bond straight away every time. **_

_**Do review and tell me your thoughts. Some of you do give good ideas, so don't hesitate to tell me about it. I'll try and answer any questions as soon as I can, seeing how the weekend is coming up, I should be free most of the time. **_

_**One last thing, Revan the Wicked has written a rough idea for a NarutoxSekirei Crossover challenge fic. Anyone who might be interested in taking it can have a read of the idea on my profile. Further questions, please direct them to Revan the Wicked through PM. **_

_**That'll be all for now. The update speed has slowed down a bit but I'm just too busy at work, so it's to be expected. I'll still try and update as soon as I can, so don't worry about me stopping suddenly like I did for my other ones. **_

_**Cheers, weixuan18 out. **_


	8. Chapter 7: Just a Little Breather

_**A/N: Yeah, I'm not dead yet. I've promised myself that I would write a fic more than at least ten chaps for the first time in five years and I will keep it if it's the last thing I do. Work's just a bit too busy at this point, and considering how I've been busy playing NBA 2K13, PES 2013, Final Fantasy VII remake and IdolM ster 2 in whatever little spare time I have, that really doesn't leave me much time to write anything. Anyways, the bottom line is, I **_**will**_** continue this fic, and all my other fics, eventually. More than a few already complained to me that I should really continue my HP fic and I agree. I'll get to it once I figure that this particular fic has been 'built up' properly. **_

_**That being said, more Kazehana this chapter as promised. More lols maybe? We'll see.**_

* * *

A Second Journey

Chapter 7: Just a Little Breather

Poor Yomi found her raging fit stutter to a halt quite suddenly when a soft Norito was chanted by a very satisfied Musubi.

"Fist of my contract! Break the unhappiness of my Ashikabi!"

A pink glow took over the Fist Sekirei, heightening her speed, agility and strength to an extent that had Naruto raising his eyebrows. It was quite impressive to see Musubi treat the enemy Sekirei who had been flinging wind blades and undressing her nastily just mere moments ago, flinging her around like a rag doll.

That description really is quite accurate considering how what was left of the 'Death Scythe' was removed from her hold in the first few seconds, then it was quite the exquisite combo of punches, kicks, somersaults and what not that ended up launching her into the sky. The final move really reminded Naruto of his Uzumaki Naruto Rendan thing he used to do back when he was a rookie genin, only Musubi seemed to reckon her elbow would do more damage. Naruto would have to agree after seeing the _huge_ crater that formed after Yomi crashed into the ground.

Secretly, Naruto would have loved to see Musubi kick a lot more, because, well, her legs were of a pure milky shade, long and silky, and every time she extended them, his mind wandered over to how they would feel wrapped around his waist. As her Ashikabi now, it was obvious that he _would_ find out soon, but that didn't mean a man couldn't daydream about it every now and then.

"Why the heck are you drooling?!" A rather familiar voice bellowed in annoyance as twin figures landed on either side of him, catching him off-guard.

"Eh?" Naturally, his response wasn't too clever.

"Sis is just jealous. Don't worry about it."

"I am _not_! Whose side are you on anyway?!"

"My Ashikabi's, eep!" Her words ended with a light squeak as the blond simply pulled her in for a quick kiss as he murmured about rewarding his beloved Sekirei for saying such lovely words.

"Gah!" Hikari simply slapped a palm to her face as she ignored how her twin was currently floating in nirvana and turned her attention back to the final member of their group, "Hey, hey! Try and leave some for me! I need to blow some steam off too!"

"Ice Time." Icicles stormed off the ground, forcing the two remaining enemy Sekirei to scatter from their huddle, catching them completely by surprise. They had been so focused on getting out of No. 88's way since she had activated her Norito that they had forgotten to be aware of any potential hazards in their surroundings.

Akitsu was getting quite good at stealth after watching Naruto for the past few days. That was what she did best anyway, Naruto had more than once, over their short period of time together, complimented her on her willingness and patience to observe. Granted, it was more because she felt Naruto was her master and she needed to watch his each and every move to ensure his absolutely safety, but that was beside the point. What Hibiki and Hikari, and to a certain extent, the other residents of Izumo Inn failed to realize was that Naruto _never_ made any noises when he moved.

It didn't really matter since his loud, boisterous voice would always reveal where he was but that was only within Izumo Inn. No one seemed to appreciate just how dexterous her master was. Miya and Karasuba would be the only ones who had some clue as to what Naruto really could do if he was serious but that was it. None of the other Sekirei had comprehended what it meant for Naruto to become a Shinobi once more.

Light on his feet didn't even begin to cover it. Then again, it was something that came naturally to Naruto, so he didn't even realize he was doing it sometimes, but when one reached someone of his status in the Shinobi world, one just did _not_ discover his presence if he didn't want it to be found. It wouldn't do to assassinate someone and then having an entire army chasing after you now, would it? Sneak in, slice throat, sneak back out. Nice and simple, Uzumaki style.

How was it exactly that her master had been able to move around so quietly? It wasn't like he was moving in a different way or using special gear or something like that. So Akitsu had taken to observing her Ashikabi very carefully, trying to figure out one of the many mysteries that revolved the blond.

So far, all she could tell was that there were subtle changes in his posture and stance as he walked. It looked just like every other guy, but for some reason, there just wasn't much, if any, noise at all. So she tried it out for herself and to her amazement, her movements got relatively quieter.

It would be a while later when Naruto explained to her that controlling the way one's muscles worked would go long ways in helping coordinate the body during motion. Standard Shinobi knowledge.

Just like how he so easily snuck up behind her just as she was about to leap into the air once more, his arms circled around her slim waist as he forcefully prevented her ascent, "Aki-chan, do you still remember the conversation we had a while ago?"

The Ice Sekirei was blinking in confusion as she turned around to face her Ashikabi, "… …?"

It was quite clear that she was still longing to fight even as the lightning twins took over her task of causing area wide destruction with lightning bolts.

"The one about you being mine?"

"Ah…" Nod.

Rolling his eyes, Naruto chastised himself on the inside for saying sounding so possessive but he knew it was probably the one way to get Akitsu to actually focus.

"All of you are belong to me, remember?" Yes, he actually said that, even though it made no sense grammatically.

"Yes." Nod, nod.

"These are mine, right?" His hands easily rested on her 'twins' as they gave them a slight caress, before moving up to her cheeks that were currently a bright red.

"H-hai…" Nod, nod, nod.

"Good, what about this?"

His fingers slowly traced downwards, teasing her porcelain skin as he made his way to his destination, "If I remembered correctly, this should be mine as well." Dipping in slightly, his lips moved closer to her ear, whispering softly as his fingers did their magic.

Naturally, Akitsu didn't really bother nodding anymore; she was too immersed in what her Ashikabi was doing to really understand the situation.

The lightning twins could take care of the enemies, now all she wanted to do was just sink into the pleasure and …

Wait a minute… Gears slowly began to turn in her head as she tried to grasp that something that she seemed to be forgetting.

"… Ah!" Suddenly remembering what this was all about, Akitsu grimaced slightly before she turned around to an amused blond, "Sorry…"

A satisfied Naruto was about to reply when he was abruptly and violently interrupted by a not-so-happy Hikari.

"It doesn't take you finger-raping her to tell her that she needs to wear panties!"

To be fair, her rage was very well justified. Here she was, evading those annoying weapons of the enemy Sekirei, doing all the hard work, and yet her Ashikabi was being a complete sexually-driven retard!

It didn't help that Akitsu was _already_ an exhibitionist! What, was he _trying_ to give her incentive to do it again?!

"Geez, I was just having some fun, cut me some slack." The blond pouted as he tried to justify why touching his Sekirei in public when enemy Sekirei were trying to kill him was a good idea.

The fact that he pouted alone should have shown that he was just being random. He really couldn't care less that someone was trying to kill him. You get immune to stuff like that after two thousand years.

Hikari's objections were overridden when Naruto gave her a hard slap to the butt, "Don't make me go all 'S' on you."

The poor Sekirei could never win an argument against the blond. There were times when she wondered what she would be like if her Ashikabi was actually someone else…

Elsewhere, Seo sneezed in his dreams of naked women before continuing to drool and mumble about how he was going to catch them all. Yes, he was dreaming about Pokegirls, not Sekirei.

It took a while, but finally, Musubi and Hibiki were back by his side, after thoroughly decimating the opposition. Sometime during their scuffle, Mitsuha and MItsuki decided to take a strategic retreat, and with their weapons, it was quite convenient for them to execute it. Hibiki really wasn't that interested in terminating them right there and Musubi was just coming off her first ever Norito, so it made sense that neither made much effort to chase them once they started escaping.

The things that you do when you could clearly feel the utter cbf-ness coming from your Ashikabi even as you fight his battles. There really wasn't any other way to describe it. Guess sometimes feeling emotions from their master wasn't exactly the best boost for them.

Naruto was seen laughing as he teased Hikari about her inner 'M' whereas Akitsu stood by his side, a pretty blush firmly printed across her cheeks.

"Naruto-san, they got away!" Musubi declared in a relatively cheerful voice, not too fussed that she was pretty much naked at this point.

"Yosh! Now that the nuisances are gone, let's get to business!" A lecherous grin spread across his lips as he reached out with his hands, making disturbing motions with his fingers, not unlike his famous Sensei. He really had been around that guy for far too long after the fourth world war. Sakura had more than once told him that if she had known that he would be _this_ bad an influence on her 'darling' husband, it would have been better not to have saved him at all. Then again, Jiraiya did teach Naruto the bulk of his knowledge on how to please a woman _properly_ and hence Sakura had to make do with the fact that most decisions in life were a double-edged sword and that she was just have to live with it.

"Hai!" Naturally, the fist Sekirei was eager considering how she longed to feel her Ashikabi closer to her. It was normal for a Sekirei to run on her emotions after the Norito since it was the emotions between Ashikabi and Sekirei that drove that extra power, so for her to want to feel her Ashikabi in a more intimate way wasn't completely unexpected.

Akitsu didn't seem to mind either as she melded herself onto his arm, her generous assets brushing against him with every movement. Truth be told, Naruto honestly didn't care if she wore undergarments or not, _as long as _no other man saw her precious. Meaning, she could walk around stark naked if she wanted to, and Naruto would gladly let her do that, as long as he was the only male in the vicinity to appreciate it.

Uzumaki Naruto was quite the possessive man.

It made sense of course, but normally, most people still _care_ if their Sekirei was walking around in their birthday suits. Naruto simply scoffed at those people being too normal and shy and all that, and declared that he would gladly admire their awesome figures if they chose to flaunt them before him. Miya had whacked him on the head and emphasized that _no one_ was to walk around naked. Ever.

The lightning twins too blushed at how forward their Ashikabi was. If it had been anyone else but him doing it, they would have fried him on the spot, but seeing how they could actually _feel_ his intentions and hence _imagine_ what he was going to do to them, they couldn't help it. Alas, they had been corrupted by their Ashikabi in ways they would never have imagined. Who knew that _it_ could be done in so many different ways, with varying levels of power over long periods of time? The lectures that the professors back at MBI had given them had absolutely _nothing_ on the practical applications they were subjected to.

_My dear boy, theory only gets you so far. Practice, on the other hand, makes perfect._ Direct quote from Jiraiya.

_But no one's perfect right? So does that mean we gotta keep practicing? _Direct answer from a rather oblivious Naruto back then, who had no idea that his sensei wasn't exactly going to teach him about chakra training.

_Oh, for sure, my boy, for sure._ Let the corruption begin.

Anyway, digressions aside, none of his Sekirei actually minded the fact that he was probably going to take them all right there in public. Kuu was already on her way back to Izumo Inn, courtesy of Naruto clone number sixty four. This was a relatively isolated Botanical Garden anyway, so there weren't that many passer-bys. What could possibly interrupt them?

"Uzumaki… _hic…_ NARUTO!" A rather drunken slur of his name echoed through the area, startling Naruto and his flock as they all tried to locate the source of that voice.

It didn't take them long to find a completely wasted Kazehana pointing at them with a determined expression on her face, "You will _*hic* _die by my boobs today!"

"Yeah! What she said!" An equally drunken Uzume was finding it hard to tell which the 'real' Naruto was since she was seeing four of him, hence she settled for grinning in a rather crazy fashion.

Silence ensued for a wee while, before it was broken by a rather annoyed Hikari, "If you say 'yes, please' to that, I will never be at your side _ever_ again."

**X – X **

In the end, it took quite some effort to subdue the drunken duo and bring them all back to Izumo Inn. It was actually a good thing Miya was out on grocery shopping when Naruto and co arrived in a messy fashion. Kuu was still asleep throughout the entire ordeal so that was good. Kazehana and Uzume were placed in No. 10's room for obvious reasons, and Kuu was taken to where Musubi had stayed the night before. The Fist Sekirei had chosen to 'move in' with Naruto and had quite a good time enjoying herself, getting to know the other Sekirei of her Ashikabi better.

The fact that the other three pretty much saw this coming helped move the interactions quite a bit. The way the girl admired their Ashikabi was a given that she was going to be winged eventually, though they figured it might have taken her longer given how thick Naruto was with things like this. Unless they were in a huge pinch or great danger, he would never take initiative to claim them.

Seriously, it was ridiculous. Who ever heard of someone who had the ability to easily wing all the unwinged Sekirei out there, choose to wait for the Sekirei to pick him out of goodwill? Look at the Ashikabi from the East and South! They practically tried to kidnap unwilling Sekirei just so that they could use them. Talk about difference in integrity.

Hikari did complain that her Ashikabi was too much of a pervert for her liking but then Hibiki simply teased her about how she really wasn't complaining during certain 'extracurricular' activities. The fact that even Akitsu was blushing said something. Musubi of course, had no idea what they were talking about. It really wasn't a very well-kept secret that Naruto was very… _skilled_ in that particular aspect. One did not have Jiraiya as their Sensei and not learn a thing or fifty about the finer aspects of procreation.

Kama Sutra had nothing on the Sannin.

Naruto's main trouble for the day came in the form of a very annoyed Hannya (who almost dropped the groceries to the ground upon seeing more Sekirei at her inn), that seemed somewhat caught between amusement and irritation from the recent acts of her latest resident. What were the chances of an Ashikabi bringing back a Sekirei to add to his collection _every single time he stepped out of the door_?!

"_Uzumaki-san, what is the meaning of this?" _

"_Er… what do you mean, Miya?" He could already feel the sweat trickling down his chin. This was going to be a long conversation._

"_Why is it that every time you go out, you see it fit to bring back more visitors?" She genuinely looked like she was waiting for an answer, though Naruto knew better. She was just waiting for a reason to slap him around with her ladle. _

"_Well, it's not entirely my fault, you see – "_

"_To think you would go for little kids now! My, my, I believe I've misread you." _

"_Urgh… Well technically speaking, I didn't go for her per se – "_

"_And you got Uzume and Kazehana drunk as well!"_

"_Hey! I didn't do that! That was completely them! I don't even know where they went drinking!" This was where the blond felt that he needed to make his point clear. He was the victim out of this whole situation! _

_Wait a minute…_

"_You sound as if you know her very well." He eyed her suspiciously as he looked her up and down, as though that would help him figure her out._

"_Ara, ara, whatever gave you that idea?" Miya chose to flutter her lovely eyelashes to feign innocence. _

"_That just makes you even more suspicious." A sweatdrop was formed somewhere on the back of his head. _

"_A lady has her own secrets, oh ho ho." _

"_Pft, lady she says, she's just an old hag." Obviously, this was not said out loud, more like a mutter, but that didn't stop the strongest Sekirei there ever was from hearing it and summoning up a particular bloody Hannya mask._

"_What, was, that, Uzumaki-san?" He swore the eyes glowered at him for a second._

"_Er, never you mind." Scratching his head, he had continued, "I've only really met Kazehana twice including today, but I guess I had to end our last encounter in an abrupt manner and she wasn't really happy about it."_

_That was putting it mildly. He had his hands all over her during the fight, using every opportunity that presented itself to touch, caress and stroke her supple flesh and lithe physique. It was kind of like giving her a massage, an involuntary one at that, but it was still a massage nonetheless. It had nothing to do with how he just wanted to feel her smooth, pale skin on his fingertips and just run his palms over her…_

"_Uzumaki-san, please refrain from drooling all over my carpet." _

"_You don't even have a carpet!" Indignant denial straight away._

"_So you did drool." _

"_Yes. No!" This woman was getting better. _

"_Are you trying to use them to satisfy your carnal urges?"_

"_Please, I've got my girls over there, what makes you think I would need to use Kazehana and Uzume in particular?" His face was held high in the air as he replied in a snobbish manner._

"_Uzumaki-san." _

"_Hm?"_

"_Lewd acts are not permitted in Izumo Inn." Her grin was victorious as she seemed to have finally found an opening._

"_What? Wait no! That's not what I meant!" Shaking his head frantically, Naruto held out his hands as he tried to explain, "You were the one that kept changing the topic around! I only brought these two drunkards back because – "_

"_It's okay, Uzumaki-san. I completely understand." Those violet orbs were glowing now. _

"_Please, not the Seiza. Anything but that! I'll even wait politely for you to summon up fifty different masks and act scared!" _

_It obviously wasn't the right response to give._

"_U-zu-ma-ki-san." Was she actually gritting her teeth? It couldn't be something he said, could it?_

"_Hai…?"_

"_Seiza!" Out came the ladle. _

"_Noooooo!" _

Yep, it wasn't too pleasant. At least not for Naruto. His lower limbs felt just a bit numb after the long lecture he received from the landlady, who repeatedly emphasized that lewd acts, drugging people's drinks and child abuse were all prohibited in Izumo Inn.

His outraged protests that he wasn't responsible for the latter two were cut down as Miya continued on her long-winded speech. There were multiple times when he felt like rolling his eyes because he knew the landlady wasn't really angry because he brought so many people back. She was just irritated that he had drawn on his Sage chakra out in the open. If _his_ Sekirei had been able to sense it, then Miya would have surely felt it… and probably all the other Sekirei in the region as well.

Meaning Karasuba probably felt it, and judging from that crazy woman's bloodlust, she would clearly come to Izumo Inn to try and fight him or whatever. Since Miya didn't really like No. 4, it was _undeniably_ Naruto's fault if the Black Sekirei were to show up.

That and she was just trying to get him to pay more money for the rent. It wasn't easy trying to feed so many people with the money she was currently getting. Kagari paid his bills so that was alright, Uzume was a bit slow at times but she still managed, always somehow getting money on different occasions after a few late nights out and the other one was just a freeloader.

Now when Naruto and co arrived at Izumo Inn, he paid fifty thousand yen to cover for himself. At least that's what he thought. Then Akitsu came with him the same night, followed by the Lightning Twins and Musubi in a couple of hours' time. On top of that, Musubi had been in a different room that night. Now, with Kuu sleeping due to exhaustion from frolicking at the botanical garden, Kazehana and Uzume sleeping off their alcohol, there were a total of eleven people including the secret resident in Izumo Inn.

It was only natural for the blond to pay up since he was the one to pretty much drag all the extra Sekirei back to Izumo Inn, hence Naruto didn't really mind. In fact, he had jokingly told Miya that she might as well charge him fifty thousand yen per head if it made her feel better.

She did just that and patted him on the head with a huge smile on her face, leaving him with a deadpan on his face.

_This woman…_

Well, he had lots of money, so he didn't really care, but there was just this part of him that felt like Miya was currently snickering in an evil manner that everything was going according to plan.

That being said, all the Sekirei called it a day pretty early and after a quick dinner, Naruto went back to his room, threw his jacket and undershirt off and laid down on the futon, closed his eyes and drifted off to dream land. He was actually quite tired from all the events that happened today, mentally-wise really.

**X – X **

Next morning was quite like the usual, with the sun shining bright quite early in the morning, naked bodies draped over his torso just like usual and …

_Blink blink…_

Something felt off. Not one to brag, but Naruto found it his 'special' ability to memorize the frame of the women he slept with. Whoever was currently on him was _definitely_ not one of his Sekirei. For one, their breasts were way too big compared to the girls he had. Couldn't be Musubi because she had taken to sleeping with little Ku-chan for the night, wanting to keep her company. Akitsu might have come close but the skin he was in contact with didn't have that cool, chilly feel to it.

Gradually opening his eyes as he tried to adjust to his surroundings, not liking the sunlight that was currently blaring through the room, Naruto peered down at his chest.

"… Okay…?"

That would explain why he felt just a bit more weighed down than usual. With breasts like those, who wouldn't?

"Zzzz…" Naturally, the two Sekirei that were on him continued to sleep in bliss. Well, as much bliss as they could before they woke up with killer hangovers. Considering how drunk they were, it wouldn't be surprised if they wouldn't be in an amiable mood for the most part of the day.

Even then, why the heck were they naked?!

Scratch that, why the hell were the girls _always_ naked when they slept with him?! It wasn't like he tried to have his way with him _in_ the Inn because that would be suicide considering how Miya was always there. Akitsu had once mentioned how 'nice' it was to be held by him, so maybe it was because he was exuding some sort of warmth? But then why were the Lightning twins that comfortable with him too?

He could only imagine just how cuddly Musubi would get… Images of him getting squished to death by a dangerously cute bear sprung to mind, leaving him sweating slightly.

Anyway, judging from the way Kazehana and Uzume were so nicely huddled on either side of him, their hands strangely close to his lower region, Naruto couldn't only guess as to why they felt so 'at home'.

The most probable scenario would be them waking up at dawn for a quick toilet break. Then, being in their drunken states, they would stumble upon the wrong room.

It couldn't have been the middle of the night because Hikari and HIbiki were in those spots before, with Akitsu directly on top of him so unless his girls had agreed to leave quietly, there was no way in hell he wouldn't have realized the 'change' in personnel.

That brought up the question just _where_ his Sekirei had actually gone. Trying to get his head around all these interesting queries, Naruto slowly tried to untangle himself from the limbs all over him and get up. As much as he enjoyed naked, luscious bodies, he needed to get up and wash his face. Their breath was killing him.

But alas, before he could do that, the door to his room opened with a resounding click after a couple of short, brief knocks, "Hai, Uzumaki-san! The sun's been up for quite some time now, wake up… Ara, ara…"

Blinking, the blond stared at the 'visitor' in resignation, before rolling his eyes, "Before you say anything, this is not what it looks like."

"Ara, ara, I'm so sorry Uzumaki-san," She didn't look the least bit apologetic, "But may I ask why…?"

"I'm innocent. Honest." Stifling a yawn, the blond tried to look as serious as he could, what with half-lidded eyes and drool down the side of his mouth, "There is absolutely nothing suspicious going on here in my room."

"Uzumaki-san, why are there naked women in your room?"

"I don't know."

"Even if they're sleeping in _your_ futon?"

"No idea."

"So you mean to tell me that you had _nothing_ to do with this?"

"Yes." Nodding, he pointed at Kazehana, who was slowly rousing from her sleep due to the chatter, "If anything, you should be worried for _my_ chastity."

Before Miya could reply, Uzume too had woken up and just as Naruto suspected, both Sekirei were holding their heads in agony, "Urgh…"

"Naruto-san! Ohayo! Ah…" A cheerful Musubi turned up at the door, just behind Miya, only to be frozen at the sight before her. Her precious Ashikabi, dressed in nothing but boxers, with the two drunken women from yesterday naked in _his_ futon.

Unbeknownst to herself, a menacing black aura grew from within her, causing her eyes to flash dangerously, earning a eep from the two women as they tried to find where the killing intent was coming from, not that they were doing a good job of it.

Even Naruto raised his eyebrow at how Musubi was able to project an image like that, though what was the deal with that bear?

"Er, morning, Musubi-chan, where are the others?" Taking the most sensible course of action, Naruto decided to get her to focus her full attention onto him. That might give the two drunkards some reprieve.

"Oh! Right!" The aura disappeared as quickly as it appeared, "Hikari-san and Hibiki-san were out doing groceries for Ooya-san, Akitsu-san is fixing the fridge."

"Huh?" Okay, so Hikari and Hibiki doing groceries was pretty normal, but Akitsu fixing the fridge? He had no idea she could do that.

As though understanding what his confusion was about (actually, Musubi did know, because she could feel it through the bond, but anyway), "Akitsu-san is keeping the fridge cold while the insurance company comes over to have a look at it."

Oh, so that's what she's doing.

"You know, you could be downright mean at times." Naruto deadpanned even as he scratched his head, "Try not to use my Sekirei for things like this?"

Miya frowned slightly as she scolded, "It's not very nice to accuse people of things they never did, Uzumaki-san."

"What, you mean you didn't make her do it?" Sleepy eyes grew owlish.

"Of course not, Akitsu-chan volunteered!" Crossing her arms, the purplette sniffed, "Unlike her Ashikabi who was taking part in adultery first thing in the morning!"

"… Would it help if I said this was all just a misunderstanding?" Sometimes, it was good to hope against hope.

"You can explain this 'misunderstanding' to me in Seiza." Sometimes it was not.

Sighing, Naruto gave a light shrug, before he moved over to Kazehana and Uzume, who were now wishing they had some way to chop their heads off without killing themselves from the pain. Before the other Sekireis' surprised eyes, Naruto simply placed his palms on their forehead, before a soothing green glow emanated from his hands. Naruto remained in that position for the better part of a full minute, before he released his energy, "That should do it. Now, where was I?"

Uzume blinked a few times, unaccustomed to the sudden lack of thudding in her head as she tried to come to terms with what just happened, "Did… did you just get rid of my hangover by touching me?!"

That statement alone brought gasps throughout the room, with even the landlady giving her usual 'ara ara'. It was quite impressive after all, even aliens like themselves did not know the adequate cure to hangovers. It was more like technology never saw fit to include 'treating hangovers' as one of their objectives in life. There were much more important medical diseases existing in this world that demanded more attention, and frankly, everyone knew the true cure to hangovers one way or another.

There were technically two ways to do it. The first one was pretty simple, you fill up a bucket of ice cold water, then you dunk your head in it. Hurts like a bitch but it works. The second one was kind of lame, but held truth to it. Just don't drink. Almost impossible for alcoholics, so that pretty much left them option one, which was really quite unpleasant. So most of them simply stuck to drinking anyway, screw the hangovers.

President of MBI, Hiroto Minaka, declared that hangovers were a part of life, and should be overcome the usual way, and hence made no effort into finding some sort of medicine for hangovers, much to the displeasure of quite a lot of people, but this was just a silly issue, so it died down after a while.

And now, to witness this Ashikabi being able to remove the pain, fatigue and dizziness by simply injecting some sort of emerald energy into their brains proved an intriguing sight. It only served to add to the mystery of just what Naruto couldn't do. Yes, _couldn't_ do.

By now, all the residents of Izumo Inn agreed that it would be normal to assume Uzumaki Naruto could do anything. It made for quite the fun when they found a lot of stuff that the blond actually couldn't do, but that's a story for another time.

Kazehana took the momentary lapse of attention from Naruto since he was a bit confused as to what the fuss was all about and leapt onto the blond, "You have _got_ to teach me how to do that!" Nuzzling his cheek in wild affection, the Wind Sekirei was about to launch into her usual sensual seduction routine, when the blond cut her off in a surprising manner.

"Yes, yes, but we have more important stuff to deal with now." Grabbing a startled Uzume and Kazehana by their arms, he lightly lifted them to his sides as he easily slid into the Seiza position. Honestly, he's been in it so often he actually found it quite comfy now.

"Eh?" The Wind Sekirei was quite confused with her current predicament as she too found herself seated in Seiza, "Er…"

"I'm sure Miya would _love_ to hear about how you guys were involved in this 'adultery' that we will be discussing for the next hour or so." That grin on his face was just a bit too innocent for their liking.

"Oh hell no bro, you wouldn't!" Uzume gaped in horror.

"I apologize for the delay, Miya, but I felt that accomplices should also be given a strict and impressionable lecture as to why lecherous acts are not allowed in Izumo Inn." Gesturing with his hands towards the two flabbergasted women, Naruto grinned, "Now, let's see what variations you can come up with this time round."

"Ara ara…" An ominous aura emanated from the landlady as she gave a chilling smile of her own, "It is rare that Uzumaki-san would be so _eager_ to see them, perhaps I should really give it my all." Several shadows were already forming behind her, all of different sizes, shades and shapes.

"W-wait a minute! No! We're not as eager!" Kazehana slowly began inching away from the menacing purplette before her, "I apologize! Whatever it was that you're going to lecture us about, I apologize!" It was a sad day when the No.3 Sekirei was actually begging for mercy over something so silly. Of course, silly for Naruto, frightening for everyone else.

Musubi, on the other hand, simply did a roundabout after thumping her fist onto her palm in realization, "Oops! I forgot I was supposed to keep Akitsu-san company! I'll see you guys at breakfast!" The speed at which she left the room was quite impressive, leaving a huge trail of dust in her wake.

"Noooo! Don't leave us, Musubi-chan! Come back!" Uzume desperately reached out, trying to will the Fist Sekirei back so that they would have more company to deal with their current crisis. It was not to be as the door to Naruto's room slowly closed as Miya eased her way towards the petrified duo. Actually, she was moving in front of Naruto, but because the other two Sekirei were now tightly latching themselves onto the blond as a instinctive defensive mechanism, they felt like Miya was moving to do unspeakable things to them with her Hannya masks.

For some reason, the curtains were drawn close all of a sudden, and the entire room was now pitch black, which only served to add to the foreboding atmosphere. It was as though all hope was gone and the judgment was about to be served.

"No, no, no, not the blood! Please, don't do it!" Uzume made one last valiant attempt at getting Miya to rethink her options as to what variations she should use, but to no avail. If anything, it gave the landlady more ideas.

The masks were slowly beginning to materialize, and just before they finished, Miya was seen gazing at the blond in with a small frown, as though scolding him, "I expect a full explanation."

"But of course, Miya. Nothing but the absolute truth." He smiled back gently, ignoring the twin vice grips on either side of him as the masks loomed closer.

"Did anyone ever tell you that you're evil?" The purplette asked curiously, just before she unleashed the ultimate horror on the trio. Uzume and Kazehana were too preoccupied with trying to un-see some images to bother joining in the conversation.

"I'm not the prank master for nothing, you know." The moment the famous foxy grin lit up on his face, Miya returned it with an equally cunning one of her own, "Very well then."

Let the fun begin.

**X – X **

"Alright! All done!" The local repairman put the finishing touches on the fridge, dragged himself back out, and gave a thumbs up, "It's amazing how it's still so cold even though the power was cut off, but anyway, I've fixed it."

"Thank you so much!" Musubi gave him a warming smile as she rushed off to find the landlady's purse, "I'll be back with the money in just a second, feel free to make yourself a tea or something!"

Plopping himself back up, the young man eyed the lithe figure bustling about the room with a lecherous eye, he placed a hand under his chin and rubbed it thoughtfully, "Man, what I wouldn't give to have a piece of that ass…"

He was about to admire the bouncy 'assets' of the girl in a strange pink and white Miko outfit, but was unduly interrupted by a high pitched shriek that reverberated throughout the household.

"_Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"_

Blinking a few times, the guy shook his head a few times, before putting it off as his imagination. There was no way he actually heard someone scream at the top of their lungs. If that really did happen, why would the buxom girl in the same room as he was not react at all? No, no, no, he must be a bit dehydrated. Perhaps, he should make himself…

"_Noooo! Get away from me! Away! AWAAAAAAAY!"_

Staring at the teacup in front of him, the young fellow couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the girl who was still trying to find the money. "Erm, sorry to bother you, but er…"

"Hai?" Musubi looked up in a cute manner, her arms stuck in the drawer as she continued to rummage through the contents.

Gulping slightly at how her twins were squeezed together given her position, he steadied himself before continuing, "Did you hear that?"

"Huh? Hear what?"

"_SOMEBODY SAVE MEEEEEEEEEEEE!" _

Silence permeated the room in an awkward manner as he tried to find his voice, "That." It was quite disconcerting now seeing how the voices he heard were different both times, all of them female. At first, he put it off as a female who saw a spider or cockroach or something along those lines, you know how some females get. The second time, he still thought that, although it was weird that she would be screaming. The third time though, when a different voice sounded up, more mature and succulent, he couldn't help but feel that something was very, very wrong.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know what you're talking about." Musubi still had a deer-in-the-headlights look as she stared back at the repairman in confusion. She was sure that the landlady said it was in this drawer, but why couldn't she find it?

Gulping the young man glanced around nervously as he played with his fingers, "Y-you… you didn't hear that?"

"No…?" It was hard not to believe the girl seeing how she was giving you this look of pure innocence.

"But…" Shaking his head slightly, he was about to take a sip of drink, just to calm him down, only for the screams to pick up once more.

"_I'm sorry! I'll do anything, ANYTHING! Just don't come closer!" _

Okay, that was it. He couldn't have been hearing things. That lady up there needs _help_.

"Ano!" Standing up with conviction, he was about to move off to the second floor to see what on earth was going on, when he was frozen to the spot by the sight that met his eyes at the entrance of the Inn.

Two women, dressed in what looked to him like matching dominatrix outfits that clung to their luscious bodies and curvy figures, appeared at the door, carrying bags of groceries with them. He would actually have been pretty interested in eyeing them a bit more if not for the fact that his brain was making a connection between the screaming from the second floor and the outfits.

The girl who was still trying to find the money was wearing a Miko outfit. These two were wearing standard dominatrix outfits. Did that mean…

"Oh, the repairman's here! Hi, nice to meet you. Urgh, Akitsu! Could you come help me with the ice-cream?"

"Huh?" The young man blinked. Aki-who?

"Ah." A soft, cool voice sounded behind him as a woman he hadn't remembered seeing walked past him casually. His pupils narrowed as he locked onto the chains that were barely holding her kimono together.

It really wasn't his fault that he didn't see Akitsu. When the fridge broke down, Miya thought it would be a good idea to air it out for a bit, and hence had left the door open. Akitsu, in her mission to keep the fridge cool, had stood behind the door and placed her hand on the left side of it. The repairman, from start till finish was working behind the fridge from the right side. That and he was focusing more on Musubi so he wasn't too attentive to his surroundings. It wasn't like Akitsu said 'hi' to him anyway.

Given the way she was dressed, only one thought could come to mind.

She was a sex slave! Why else would she be wearing chains?! Who the heck wore chains on them nowadays?! That's kinky beyond belief!

Hot, young girl dressed in Miko outfit.

Twins dressed in dominatrix outfits.

Voluptuous woman with chains over her barely clad kimono.

Screaming from the second floor.

All of the above could only mean one thing!

This Inn was one of those sex clubs! Where one could enjoy the thrills of any type of cosplay, S&M and any other fetishes you could come up with! Those clubs were legendary, not just for the services they provide but for their prices as well! To think that they would have one up here in the North! Usually, they were only situated in the South and East! This must be an illegal one, considering how the females up their sounded really reluctant… That would mean…

They were kidnapping women and forcing them to do their bidding! Oh how heartless and cruel!

"Hya!" _CRASH!_

The young repairman's attention was brought to the desk that was now split into two. Standing above it was Musubi, her fist stretched out, before she rummaged through it once more, "Found it~!"

Whatever she said next, he wasn't sure, all that he could focus on was how easily the girl had broken a desk that he would have been hard pressed to even lift. Before he could dwell on that any longer, the shrieks of fear from the second floor grew in volume, sending cold shivers down his spine.

This… this place was too dangerous! He must get out of here before the owner of the place comes back!

"Here you go!" Musubi was just about to place the money in the kind man's hands when he suddenly retreated quite a few steps from her, shaking his head in an almost insane manner.

"N-no, it's… it's a-alright! I-I'll just… be o-on my w-way now! Bye!" With almost inhumane speed, the repairman rushed out of the place, not even bothering to take his tools with him.

Funnily enough, it was Hikari who spoke up, "What's wrong with him?"

"Eh… Musubi doesn't know…" Scratching her head in confusion, the Fist Sekirei then proceeded to tidy up the mess she made, "Mo! And to think Musubi went through so much trouble to find it for him! What a rude man!"

"There, there, Musubi, I'll help you."

"Really? Thank you, Hibiki-san!"

Akitsu merely began placing the ice cream back into the fridge, taking special care with the cookies and cream.

The young man would eventually reach the MBI Police Force, report that he found an illegal sex club in the North, only to be deemed crazy by the officers after doing a quick check up on the address. The data in the system showed that Izumo Inn was to be left alone at all causes, with a Level 5 security code attached to it if one wanted to access more information. The poor guy was arrested for trespassing the Inn and was flung into jail, just for a couple of days.

**X – X**

"Er, is it okay for me to ask a question?" A slightly cowed Minato whimpered under the ferocious glare of his mother.

"Out with it."

"You want me to go to this Inn…"

"Izumo Inn!" Came the impatient reply.

"Right, right, Izumo Inn. And er, I'm supposed to give this letter to a fishcake…?" That was really why he sounded so confused. Why does he need to give a non-living thing some form of writing?

"Naruto is a person you imbecile!" Rolling her eyes at how much her son was like her in some ways, Takami couldn't help but think back to when she first saw that name too. Whoever named that kid was an absolute _genius_. Imagine having every single person who heard of your name remember you just because you could link it to something so funny?

Elsewhere, in the middle of Miya's lecture, Naruto sneezed, further agitating the masks, causing them to haunt the other two Sekirei even harsher, which of course would only lead to them squealing more.

"Ah! I see! Right, leave it to me, mum!" Minato sounded a lot more cheerful when he actually realized his mum did not think he was insane and was not going to send him on a mission that was utterly degrading and pathetic. He was not so dumb that he needed to be talking to fishcakes to regain his confidence…

That being said, it was still quite perplexing to Minato as to why his mother would want him to deliver a letter to a stranger. Wouldn't it be better and faster by post? Or did she want him to meet this person? She had refused to give him any information on the guy other than 'you'll see'.

That wasn't very helpful at all. Oh well, it couldn't be worse than his sister trying to jump him or trying to convert him into a sis-con, right?

Towards the end of Miya's 'lecture', Naruto sneezed.

* * *

_**I do apologize for delaying this update so much, but really, October is like the month of sports games. Any free time I have is pretty much spent on NBA 2K13 at the moment, I'm addicted to that game. The controls just get harder and harder every year, far out. But the dunks get cooler too, so you know, win some, lose some. Also, I'm actually bothering to grind in FFVII remake, because that's what makes an RPG I guess. I always grind till I… get bored of grinding, so, yeah. **_

_**Anyway, it's a bit of a short chapter, because, like I said, not much time to work on it, and the way this chapter was going, I didn't have that much left to add. Why is Takami sending Minato to Naruto? Shrug shrug. Also, Naruto may seem a bit too perverse, but I kinda like him that way. A few of you have mentioned that my Naruto was kinda like Jiraiya, and well, I didn't actually realize that until I went back and read them, so I've decided what the heck, it's a fun personality to write about, and he did train under Jiraiya for all those years in my storyline, so why not. **_

_**The next update might drag on for a bit, but I'll try and make it worthwhile, maybe throw in a lemon or something. Thanks for your patience and understanding! Until next time then. =D**_


End file.
